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.
Yeah
I am not a pattern to be followed
The pill that I'm on
Is a tough one to swallow
I'm not a criminal
Not a role model
Not a born leader
I'm a tough act to follow
I am not the fortunate and the fame
Or the same verse I'm telling you to forfeit the game
I came in the ring like a dog on a chain
And I found out the underbelly is sicker than it seems
And it seems ugly, but it can get worse
'Cause even the blueprint is a gift and a curse
'Cause once you have the theory of how the thing works
Everybody wants the next thing to be just like the first
And I'm not a robot
I'm not a monkey
I will not dance even if the beat's funky
Opposite of lazy, far from a punk y'all
Stop talking, start tryna catch up motherfucker
And all the people say
Aah, aah, aah
Try to catch up motherfucker
Aah, aah, aah
Lauren said money changes situations
Big said it increases the complication
Kane said don't stab, I ain't the one
Chuck said a an Uzi weigh a motherfucking ton
And I'm just a student of the game that they taught me
Rocking every stage and every place that they brought me
I'm awfully underrated
But can be corrected
And so this second I'm gonna save it for the record
I am the opposite of whack
Opposite of weak
Opposite of slack
Standing in the heat
Standing in a crack
Closest to a beat, far from a punk
Y'all oughta stop talking, start tryna catch up motherfucker
And all the people say
Aah, aah, aah
Try to catch up motherfucker
Aah, aah, aah
Oh when they come for me
Come for me
I'll be gone
Oh, when they come for me
Come for me
I'll be gone
Oh, when they come for me
Come for me
I'll be gone
And all the people say
Aah, aah, aah
Try to catch up motherfucker
Aah, aah, aah
And all the people say
Aah, aah, aah
Try to catch up motherfucker
Aah, aah, aah
Aah, aah, aah
Aah, aah, aah
I am not a pattern to be followed
The pill that I'm on
Is a tough one to swallow
I'm not a criminal
Not a role model
Not a born leader
I'm a tough act to follow
I am not the fortunate and the fame
Or the same verse I'm telling you to forfeit the game
I came in the ring like a dog on a chain
And I found out the underbelly is sicker than it seems
And it seems ugly, but it can get worse
'Cause even the blueprint is a gift and a curse
'Cause once you have the theory of how the thing works
Everybody wants the next thing to be just like the first
And I'm not a robot
I'm not a monkey
I will not dance even if the beat's funky
Opposite of lazy, far from a punk y'all
Stop talking, start tryna catch up motherfucker
And all the people say
Aah, aah, aah
Try to catch up motherfucker
Aah, aah, aah
Lauren said money changes situations
Big said it increases the complication
Kane said don't stab, I ain't the one
Chuck said a an Uzi weigh a motherfucking ton
And I'm just a student of the game that they taught me
Rocking every stage and every place that they brought me
I'm awfully underrated
But can be corrected
And so this second I'm gonna save it for the record
I am the opposite of whack
Opposite of weak
Opposite of slack
Standing in the heat
Standing in a crack
Closest to a beat, far from a punk
Y'all oughta stop talking, start tryna catch up motherfucker
And all the people say
Aah, aah, aah
Try to catch up motherfucker
Aah, aah, aah
Oh when they come for me
Come for me
I'll be gone
Oh, when they come for me
Come for me
I'll be gone
Oh, when they come for me
Come for me
I'll be gone
And all the people say
Aah, aah, aah
Try to catch up motherfucker
Aah, aah, aah
And all the people say
Aah, aah, aah
Try to catch up motherfucker
Aah, aah, aah
Aah, aah, aah
Aah, aah, aah
Lyrics submitted by MusicFREAK20, edited by AdamArtz, SarahZB
When They Come for Me Lyrics as written by Chester Charles Bennington Brad Delson
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"Because even a blueprint is a gift and a curse"
Do I see a Jay-Z reference to the title of a couple of his albums. Mike Shinoda rocks it. Haha This is a good LP song. The beats are sick and the spit. Try and catch up mother fucker. ;)