This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Cover your mouth
The wolves at the door can hear you now
And I think I see eyes beneath your couch
So
There's knives in the kitchen
They're stuck in the walls, go pull them down
We can still close our eyes if this goes south
Go say your prayers now
There's cracks in the mirrors
Your secrets are spilling from your mouth
But there's no going back from this point now
So
The wallpaper's peeling
I see your breath in the air, it's shaped like words
And the blood in your eyes in shining
Your fingernails drag across the walls as you unlock the door
And now the wolves are shaped like people
Their eyelids are all fluttering
Their hands are never steady
And the rainclouds leak in through the chimney
They're crawling up my back
I can't stop laughing, can't stop laughing
The wolves all dance across the ceiling
But the rhythm of their stops is like a heartbeat
Like a drumbeat
And I'm backing through the open doorway
This place is not for me
It's not my hell
I didn't paint it
So
It's written on the back of your hands
You know, you know
You've gotta pay for all the things you've ever thought
These bones are all you own
You've gotta pay for all the things you've ever lost
And then some
Now my head's come off
And all I know is spilling out into the ground
I'm watching it grow
All these vines will choke me
But I have to grin
It's a fitting end for where this began
I woke through clouds of syrup
And the world looked fine
Bad dreams are nothing special
They happen all the time
At least I think so
The wolves at the door can hear you now
And I think I see eyes beneath your couch
So
There's knives in the kitchen
They're stuck in the walls, go pull them down
We can still close our eyes if this goes south
Go say your prayers now
There's cracks in the mirrors
Your secrets are spilling from your mouth
But there's no going back from this point now
So
The wallpaper's peeling
I see your breath in the air, it's shaped like words
And the blood in your eyes in shining
Your fingernails drag across the walls as you unlock the door
And now the wolves are shaped like people
Their eyelids are all fluttering
Their hands are never steady
And the rainclouds leak in through the chimney
They're crawling up my back
I can't stop laughing, can't stop laughing
The wolves all dance across the ceiling
But the rhythm of their stops is like a heartbeat
Like a drumbeat
And I'm backing through the open doorway
This place is not for me
It's not my hell
I didn't paint it
So
It's written on the back of your hands
You know, you know
You've gotta pay for all the things you've ever thought
These bones are all you own
You've gotta pay for all the things you've ever lost
And then some
Now my head's come off
And all I know is spilling out into the ground
I'm watching it grow
All these vines will choke me
But I have to grin
It's a fitting end for where this began
I woke through clouds of syrup
And the world looked fine
Bad dreams are nothing special
They happen all the time
At least I think so
Lyrics submitted by rL-
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Mmmm..