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.
(You don't know where I've been)
Don't get me caught up in the middle
I gotta live right
(You don't know what I've seen)
I've seen you strung up like a scarecrow in the moonlight
(You don't know what I know)
Oh lord, they took my name
They've got my name
Now I'm gone
Please, don't you forget my face
You're all I've got
Oh, I'm gone
(You don't know how far)
We'll drag you, white knuckled by the river on a cold night
(You don't know just how cold)
We've gotten
Our hands are just icicles and dog bites
We'll drag you off while you're sleeping soundly on a black night
No, not me
I'm not like them
Not like them
I'm not that gone
Don't you see we're at your door?
Oh, the clouds are blacker than our pupils, darling
They are raining ink down on hills, trees and houses
When it's black they'll show up
When it's all black they'll show up
Once it's black you'll see the whites of my eyes
Come get my teeth
You don't know where we've been
What we've seen, or who we are
You don't know just what we'll do
We've come for you
We've come for you
Don't get me caught up in the middle
I gotta live right
(You don't know what I've seen)
I've seen you strung up like a scarecrow in the moonlight
(You don't know what I know)
Oh lord, they took my name
They've got my name
Now I'm gone
Please, don't you forget my face
You're all I've got
Oh, I'm gone
(You don't know how far)
We'll drag you, white knuckled by the river on a cold night
(You don't know just how cold)
We've gotten
Our hands are just icicles and dog bites
We'll drag you off while you're sleeping soundly on a black night
No, not me
I'm not like them
Not like them
I'm not that gone
Don't you see we're at your door?
Oh, the clouds are blacker than our pupils, darling
They are raining ink down on hills, trees and houses
When it's black they'll show up
When it's all black they'll show up
Once it's black you'll see the whites of my eyes
Come get my teeth
You don't know where we've been
What we've seen, or who we are
You don't know just what we'll do
We've come for you
We've come for you
Lyrics submitted by rL-
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