Bright and early in the morning and my day's on track Hot coffee in the kitchen? Okay, I'll take it black. 66 degrees with a comfortable breeze, I guess every now and then you get days like these. And I'm thankful, hit the city streets grateful, We're livin' life to the upmost while we're young and able. While others fable about where they come from, We got nothing to hide, we're far from stardom.
We never did anything in that place, just waste time, Talkin' about what we'd do if givin the chance to. You know, stupid things that we never live out, It sure was cool for a moment to think about. You could say just an innocent exaggeration, Just some young adults have fun, by imagination, But somehow we stretched ourselves and started livin' it. Life is funny sometimes, isn't it? We're in the sky on the plane over European terrain, Lookin' down to the ground we watched the earth change. At night in the car over looked by afar, Thinkin' to ourselves, none of this is really ours. Perspective changes, we could never claim this Life, Yahweh spoke and showed us what our aim is. Something that wasn't alive by heartbeat and breath, And something that's not left with bone and flesh.
Chorus
Life is too short to sweat the minimal, And things that once seemed simple now seem valuble. Like the simple satisfaction of being content, And the simple satisfaction in the time we spent. I value everything our friendship meant, Even though you never paid me back the money I lent. Speakin' of which, the other day, your mom I saw her, I had to tell her Scott Bellows still owed me 50 dollars.
Chorus
(In Background) This one goes out to the one we know, From Kid Flow to Fourth Avenue, Mr. Scott Bellows -repeat-
I'm wantin' all heads to break up. Open ears to listen, Scott Bellows is the fellow with the grand design and 'vention. Reuben asked me to throw in a twenty second verse, I have a rhyme and some time, But oh well, what could it hurt. Out of style, out of practice, Out of touch and out of taste, I started thinkin' to the days of the showcase. So I set off to explorer the store of lyrics in my head, But for hours I got nothin', and I wrote this instead.
(Note: This should be right. The only part I'm not exactly sure about is the last part, after the song ends.)
Let me shoot straight, clear up any mistake And take a moment or two just to reiterate Never did I think that I was anything great, no Well I simply said my name just to fill in the blanks John Reuben, the professional rapper The one who likes to mix up the chitter chatter We whip it up and play games with subject matter In the stage of life this is but a chapter Oh, page one brief introduction Mr. Zappin likes to have some fun Some cats call it wack while I think that's dumb I confront it, feel like I'm capable of either one, I'm getting
Higher We gonna take the music much Higher Go ahead throw your hands up Higher We gonna take the music much Higher Now what we talking about let's go
Oh my, oh my hey hey What more can I say, hey We gon keep on pushin' on and on We're going on and on
[Rap interlude by Alon Auguste' not included]
Burn it permanent in the mind of those who misinterpret Those who are uncertain if What we do here is a good thing Road blocks won't stop us we must keep on pushing I am not opposed to losing, I just do not believe in quitting What a wonderful world our God is babysitting And I am just a visitor But while I'm here I'll do my best to stand and deliver Exact is it, or rather I can get And I admit, I'm not one hundred percent accurate Split me fifty-fifty, I'd be happy with half of it The room to grow will keep me passionate
Higher We gonna take the music much Higher Go ahead throw your hands up Higher We gonna take the music much Higher Now what we talking about let's go
Oh my, oh my hey hey What more can I say, hey We gon keep on pushin' on and on We're going on and on
This vulnerability is kiling me internally Not feeling much stability and I wish it could be easy But it dont seem to be and so, I'm going to take it to the only place that i know to go And lay these feelings in the hand of the creator God of creation You show me how to relate to her Meanwhile, I'm thanking You for lessons being learned See my feelings have been shallow but I've watched my heart turn Yes, she looks good, yes she looks fly But deep down I know there's something more inside Just like I'm praying that there's more in me So when I look at she I just don't see naturally Not saying physically, that I'll deny the attraction, but all in all that's just a simple satisfaction That can be obtained through a glance of the eye This was five years ago, man how time flies by Beautiful soul full of spirit I wonder if she'd hear it if I told her that she had a Beautiful soul full of spirit A few year later... Her mind intrigues me It leaves me sort of sick Wondering what makes the mystery chic tick, history thick of pages and pages Telling stories that can't be summed up in quick phrases She's observant so she's seen my behavior It's got me nervous wanting to stay away from her I pray for her daily as well as perspective, Battling with pride and thoughts of being rejected And that's just not appealing It's almost enough to make you disconnect your fellings or something And try to move on and give them to someone else but yet I care for her more than I care for myself Man who needs this I'm not even good with commitments Plus I value my independence In the end it's probably just a waste of time spent Or maybe there's something more to this relationship What's the point of caring when it hurts so much If this is what love comes with I'd rather not touch it In all honesty the outcome is uncertain And I do run the risk of walking away hurting Searching for clarity, spare me the dispair I'd rather be alone and not even care Than to share my trust because you can't control fate So maybe I'll be alone but at least it's safe I know that's stupid Probably my insecurity Or maybe God is using this to get through to me Because in the back of my mind I'm always aware of her Pushing me towards prayer and bettering my character Making me think about the man I want to become Regardless of the situation's outcome Fast forward a few years into my life Man this song about my wife took me five years to write
All In All featuring Tim Skipper From House Of Heroes
(chorus): All I want to be "All in all, all I want to be" All I know to be "All in all, all I know to be" All I can hope to be "All in all, all I can hope to be" So my prayer is that the all in all becomes all in me
Early in the AM, a new day's in I'm in my bed still laying I think I'm gonna stay in I've got to get motivation for what I'm facing This world is heavy I feel my weight bend Pressure to measure up but I'm nothing special I feel like an amateur in a world of professionals And I know man nobody's a pro man Some keep their heads high, some hang their heads low and I'm trying to find and hang mine in the right place Letting my weakness become your strength I'm taking each day as it comes Making each one a new one I'm starting over with the rise of the sun Embracing life this time holding onto what I believe in
(chorus)
The truth is humbling but also freeing Yeah, brought to a spot of brutal honesty Sometimes I feel all I've got is a pen and paper The chance to be honest and hope in a savior For a while it was hard to accept it You see stereotypes and religion killed my perspective So many questions aimlessly directed I looked to myself to try and correct it Now, that's an expectation that I shouldn't expect in That's a goal that I shouldn't have set Desire died and all that's left was frustration As well as an unhealthy self examination I analyzed it all to the point of psychological torment Still found no answers in my search for it Somewhere in all of this I started to realize I was looking to myself and things I couldn't provide
(chorus): If you're satisfied with your message, press one To listen to your message, press two To re-record, press three
Hey folks, what's going on? It's John I just got off of ___________.com Of course you know me I don't respond I just like to observe how these nerds critique songs Funny as heck it's the same old text Someone's upset, someone didn't come correct I know it's stupid, it's just the internet But that in itself is one of many aspects You got the cat that hits up the newstand To receive instructions from media man Life full of anxiety trying to keep up Just when he's on top another trend creeps up, Oh! Dear Jesus, help us, people follow blindly Have you been given the okay to like me? Or do I need to ask the media for your permission Are they the ones making all of your decisions?
(chorus 2x)
I knew this indie kid, this anti-trendy kid He hated Starbucks, WalMart and the recording biz This indie kid, this anti-trendy kid Liked to tell me what it wasn't and school me on what it is Two years previous he was skankin' in the pits Oh how quickly his identity switched Let's get hip to the future and skip the nonsense I'm so ahead of myself I'm in retirement
Well me and my friends we're chillin' hardcore Sipping decaf coffee and playing shuffleboard Nothing to prove, nothing to lose, wanna hang with me? Don't care what I wear and I stare aimlessly For hours upon hours upon end Come back to and then I'll do it again, oh Catch me up to speed, what's the hottest trend? It's been twenty years no wonder the 80's are in So throw your trucker hats in the air And wave your thrift store shirts like you just don't care Rappers when you're rhyming, singers when you're whining Try not to look like you're trying
(chorus)
What's it take to make a hit, huh? Sorta like a love/hate relationship First you make it, you love it, then it annoys you Travel the world and your song employs you Well hey, I'm not even sure if I got what it takes I'm just trying to do my part and speak from the heart Spark some insight, yo, forget being fake Write with honesty, don't wanna hide my faith I also don't want to use my faith as a gimmick To tickle your emotions and make you feel terrific I promised God to always be authentic Past this moment it's a daily commitment That my friends concludes the broadcast Be careful what you commit to, things don't last Hold on tight to what really counts Enjoy this life before you're out
Taught young, the world's wisdom I told life's a game, the earth will be your stadium Be alert, pay attention (One day) Even your friends will become the competition Trust no one but do remember this, never burn any potential bridges Know who's who, and what they can do for you And don't feel bad cause' in the end they're gonna do it to you too Remember life's not fair In order to maintain, your gonna have to let you sensitivity be trained A machine more than a human being What you say doesn't always have to be what you mean Tell them what they want to hear if it's to your benefit And words beyond closed doors are insignificant Push yourself, never be satisfied Even if you don't get it, at least you died knowing you tried
Born, live, strive, succeed Gain it all, bye, now it's time to leave' Now, all we see is now
Taught young, the world's wisdom Begin to pay attention and make my own observations All of the kids working hard for admiration Trying their best not to meet their social expiration Kind of hard in a world this finicky Easily praised and yet destroyed just as quickly I guess me and this world must not be compatible, cause I don't want its approval to feel valuable
So who's next to climb the wall of success, just to see how good the top truly gets Chasing lies disguised as going somewhere only to arrive and realize it's really no where' That's even if you get there in the first place What an incredible let down we're bound to face when we substitute purpose for cheap counterfeit Too busy trying to succeed in life that we forget to live it You can live in the infinite or give in to the immediate Gain it all but someday you'll have to leave it This world is temporary and it's heart is selfish Think to yourself, is this what wealth is But now, all we see is now and now is not a bad thing but now does bring tomorrow then Now becomes then Moments escape, new ones replace them Don't want to face the end still searching Asking what in this world did I ever find worth in What could be worse than life of wasted years Nothing lasting, nothing true, nothing dear I fear losing beauty in pursuit of bigger things I fear a broken home courtesy of the American dream Maybe that's just me with my emotions on my sleeve, but one way or another we all wear what we believe
Born, live, strive, succeed Gain it all, bye, now it's time to leave' But now, we're wasting now
Step away Keep your distance I can't be what you want me to be But right now there are things inside I don't want you to see So take your personal spotlight Shine it on someone else for a while I can't force a happy face or makeshift you a smile I can't deny what I see, what I feel or what's in front of me So take your world of precious moments of make-believe They never made me believe in anything But left me with nothing to hold on to Your quick fix and magic tricks can only disguise what I was going through And now I'm thinkin' it was when it wasn't And now I'm tryin' to rationalize what just doesn't Come together and somehow doesn't make sense But God, how can I convince them when I'm not even convinced?
Everyone is thinkin' it, but nobody's sayin' it Everyone's sayin' it, but nobody's feeling it Everyone's feeling it, but nobody's seein' it So how am I supposed to know what's real?
False sense of happiness My security wrapped up in this These control freaks seek out who they can brainwash and make activists They'd rather have me lie than bring my failure to the light Keep your secrets to yourself It's not about you but them lookin' right No time to be ugly Don't trouble them with your doubt and fears Shout for joy little boys and girls You brokenness ain't welcome here Well excuse me while I bleed through and my life becomes see-through Don't ask for transparency but reject what you seein' too
Everyone is thinkin' it, but nobody's sayin' it Everyone is sayin' it, but nobody's feelin' it Everyone is feelin' it, but nobody is seein' it So tell me, how am I supposed to know what's real?
Everyone is thinkin' it Everyone is feelin' it But nobody is seeing it And how Am I supposed to feel? How am I supposed to know what's real?
So please Can somebody tell me how am I supposed to know what's real When I was told and controlled how to feel? You tell me now, how am I supposed to know what's real When I was told and controlled how to feel? Jesus, please tell me How are they gonna know you're real When we're told and controlled how to feel Jesus, tell me please How they gonna know you're real When they're controlled and told how to feel? You tell me How am I supposed to know what's real When I was told and controlled how to feel? You tell me please, God How are they gonna know that you're real When they're told and controlled how to feel? You tell me please How am I supposed to know what's real? How are they supposed to know what's real? How are they supposed to know what's real? How are you and I supposed to know?
Freedom to feel
How am I supposed to feel? How am I supposed to know what's real?
Give us what we came here for! Give us what we came here for! Encore! We want more! Give us what we came here for!
I got treats for your audible Yup! I know you like what you hear Treats for your audible
Oh! How enjoyable Put it in your headphones Rock it portable Mono or stereo, let's go Travel on down to a John Reuben show So we can build together Link minds together Oh, it's so much better to combine the efforts and Double the impact, double the effect Twice the energy, twice the sweat Let's get this thing into full swing And bring party rockin' a whole new meaning Ha, smiles teeth white and gleaming Now are you thinking what I'm thinking?
What may come What may I say we say And keep on rockin' through the break of day
I got treats for your audible Anything's possible Yup! I know you like what you hear Treats for your stereo, there you go Yup! I know you like what you hear Treats for your audible, rather phenomenal Yup! I know you like what you hear
Delicious, delectible, savory treats Mmm...
Numb the eardrum with a blanket of sound Here's another round of get-on-down Pass it around So everyone's involved A few minutes later look how it evolved Long as the earth revolves I'll be on call If you need a emcee, okay, problem solved I'm there in a heartbeat Hear my heart speak Even if I don't ever make the charts peak That's okay, hey, fact is I like the simple life and its theatrics Its everyday madness serves as a reminder that I'm alive but it's kind of a blur At least the last 24 and a half years have been Really no routine or set patt-er-en, so Who knows what's next in line? Come along and see what we find
I got treats for your audible Anything's possible Yup! I know you like what you hear Treats for your stereo, there you go Yup! I know you like what you hear Treats for your audible, rather phenomenal Yup! I know you like what you hear
Frothy, ice cold, and yet oddly enough, still blazing hot
Give us what we came here for! Give us what we came here for! Encore! We want more! Give us what we came here for!
(See, everyone's looking for a song to sing, you know Something they can dance to, yeah So I got some next-level stuff The hot stuff People are gonna be like...)
Give us what we came here for! Give us what we came here for! Encore! We want more! Give us what we came here for!
(Yeah. Yeah! Right there! Right there. Give it to me, give it to me Right there, you know you feelin' it, haha Yeah, yeah)
See, I wrote a song for the world to sing Let it go down in history In your memory it loops repeatedly Over and over and over again Over and over and over again? Yeah, over and over and over again In your memory it loops repeatedly Over and over and over again
I got treats for your audible Anything's possible Yup! I know you like what you hear Treats for your stereo, there you go Yup! I know you like what you hear Treats for your audible, rather phenomenal Yup! I know you like what you hear
Yeah, I know you like what you hear I know you like...well, I hope you do
Come on everybody, it's about that time Come on everybody, it's about that time Come on everybody, it's about that time
This life is short, don't waste it This life is what you make it This life is short, don't waste it This life is what you make it
Don't call it jiggy Call it danceable Throw out a beat to fill the dance floor I'll be on the side just sittin' and watchin' Happy and content vicariously rockin' It's great to be alive and well Still in the capitol where I reside and dwell So tell me if you hear me loud and clearly Reality's just a bit more near me So we make the most of every given minute Here's a jam for the world and the 7 billion in it Limits we know not Don't really want to stop Go-getter's get what they got by goin' for it Caught in this crazy mix over the years Learned some tricks Throw 'em on my records just for kicks And it's obvious that if it's what God gives See we gotta keep the energy positive
This life is short, don't waste it Don't waste it, I hope that you appreciate it This life is what you make it What you make it, I hope that you appreciate it
This life is short, don't waste it Don't waste it, I hope that you appreciate it This life is what you make it What you make it, I hope that you appreciate it
Hey, every new day brings a new day To say thank you and relay my gratitude For the time I've been given Listen been given permission to embrace the rhythm So live a little Come on, breathe a little Tell me, who wants me to rhyme for close-minded people? Not I Okay good, me neither This here feature won't follow procedure Instead, the forecast includes a brainstorm With elastic thinking to help me stretch the norm Life's too short for me to conform Daily renewal helps me transform And live life to the utmost Here's a toast to the future Faith, love and hope And all the things that truly remain and exist It goes a little something like, like...
This life is short, don't waste it Don't waste it, I hope that you appreciate it This life is what you make it What you make it, I hope that you appreciate it
This life is short, don't waste it Don't waste it, I hope that you appreciate it This life is what you make it What you make it, I hope that you appreciate it
Come on Yeah So, I'm thinkin' life...is...anyways...
Life's too short To have enemies I make no apologies for being friendly Life's too short To live in poverty I'm not talking money, I'm talking mentally Cause I've been broke and at the same time happy I'm well aware of my history So I approach life a little more humbly Cause being full of yourself will leave you empty
This life is short, don't waste it Don't waste it, I hope that you appreciate it This life is what you make it What you make it, I hope that you appreciate it
This life is short, don't waste it Don't waste it, I hope that you appreciate it This life is what you make it What you make it, I hope that you appreciate it
This life is short, don't waste it This life is what you make it
This life is short, don't waste it This life is what you make it
I'm not alright, I haven't been myself lately I'm not okay with the way I've let my thoughts overtake Take me away to the place I should have gone I hope I'm not here for long I'll see you when I'm better I'll see you when I'm better
It's gotta get worse to get better It went from no way, never to okay, whatever Slowly but surely and sure as sure is blurry Now things that once were me are no longer Every so often God reminds me But I'm always there in front to blind me I value my pride more than peace of mind My precious pride There was a time when I had control but I let it go I watched the world passin' slowmo My life's ahead of me I can't catch up Stuck in a rut I went too willingly These thoughts are killing me I wish I could control myself but I can't Or can I? Man I'm gone I hope I'm not here for long It's just a visit Ashamed of who I've become It's not really me Or is it?
I'm not alright, I haven't been myself lately I'm not okay with the way I've let my thoughts overtake Take me away to the place I should have gone I hope I'm not here for long I'll see you when I'm better
Thoughts lead to emotion which led to action I hate the fact that it happened 'The Lord can forgive and forget' But I'm not able to do it Maybe there is where the problem lies I'm unable to forgive myself plus I'm too proud to ask for help Whelp, sorry for who I've become I guess circumstances can leave you numb Plus, I refused accountability It seemed like such small things you found in me I called you secluded and illuded to the fact that your concerns were silly Don't over-react Now looking back in hindsight, heh I'm able to see that you were right Is it too late for me? I know it's not It's just up to me to choose to stop
I'm not alright, I haven't been myself lately I'm not okay with the way I've let my thoughts overtake Take me away to the place I should have gone I hope I'm not here for long I'll see you when I'm better
I'm not alright, I haven't been myself lately I'm not okay with the way I've let my thoughts overtake Take me away to the place I should have gone I hope I'm not here for long Better I'll see you when I'm better
I'm not alright, I haven't been myself lately I'm not okay with the way I've let my thoughts overtake Take me away to the place I should have gone I hope I'm not here for long
Everybody in the place, clear space tonight's the only night this night will take place no time to waste, let's not worry about time stop the clock, it's fine, keep it at nine I'm in the mood to not just do the typical, I'm in the mood to not just follow the ritual even at the risk of being dissed the base of ridicule, pesimists be dismissed, there's no room for the sinical 'cause now a days, music's too political and maybe just a bit too predictable the repetition, repetition, repetition man, I'm just kidding or am I? I'll leave that for you to decide, ha Take it back, like counter-clockwise No surprise, it's just that good old-fashioned Horseplay passion to keep the party crackin'
Move, if you want it, come get it, just move, go ahead, turn it up and move, just brace the volume, you know what to do, hey you just move, if you want it, come get it, just move, go ahead, turn it up and move, just brace the volume, you know what to do, hey you just --
Yo, frolickin' through your metropolitan With some new idears for my peers to wallow in But what I brought to the table is hard to swallow in You don't have a mind of your own and are only followin' Aw, man...please don't call me conservative, God creates, man just perverts it Even though I know I'm far from perfect, I exercise my right to be creative when I word it Observe from a distance, come inside if you're enclined Feel the surge of the elements combined Jump start the system with unearthly wisdom Or advanced the liberal peaking, they are older than tradition Sound nice? If not, check your sound device, I think turning it up is sound advice, ha That's right, go ahead, turn it up and, Yeah, go ahead, turn it up and --
Move, if you want it, come get it, just move, go ahead, turn it up and move, just brace the volume, you know what to do, hey you just move, if you want it, come get it, just move, go ahead, turn it up and move, just brace the volume you know what to do, hey you just --
Ladies, gentlemen, children -- front, to the back, to the middle in All areas in between, You're the one and only, You still go ahead and do your thing The box we've been playing in is boring, So let's step outside and start exploring I'm in a '91 Chevy van, touring If the spot's not hot, we'll torch it 'till it's scortching That's not a sure thing, more just sub-wording To make me sound good and pep up the recording, According to my calculations, if I'm correct, Good things lie directly ahead As the crow flies, so do I Straight to the point until I arrive, Reporting live to your radio inside your room Reminding you to please remember to...
Move, if you want it, come get it, just move, go ahead, turn it up and move, just brace the volume, you know what to do, hey you just move, if you want it, come get it, just move, go ahead, turn it up and move, just brace the volume, you know what to do, hey you just
Move, if you want it, come move go ahead, turn it up and move, just brace the volume, you know what to do, hey you just move, if you want it, come get it, just move, go ahead, turn it up and move, just brace the volume, you know what to do, hey you just --
Give the band a round of applause join the cause As me and Manchild flap our jaws and rap raw, huh Got to be optimistic We twist it different your paradigm is shifted And it's positively terrific audibly We flipped it awkwardly How do we did it done it dang it or do I mean do it Keep it fluid let's move it I make people music, music sweet music Every now and then you have to renew it Still the formula stays the same we just like to mix the elements And watch them rearrange because change is good It keeps perspective keen But trying to be different don't really mean that you're doing anything That hasn't been done still The style is identical to none
(chorus) Oh yes and the band plays on Every where we go it's the same old song See I know there's really nothing new under the sun But yet I want to do it like it's never been done
I'm not even sure what's next I'll let my thoughts collect and do my best to connect Without begging for your respect Or maybe just a little what the heck Now, you enter in new mindset Yup fresh water gets the mind wet Are we there yet On point yet All that I am or all I can Until there's nothing left
[Othello] My gift of gab is sort of sweet a summer night's dream Capture the elaborate colors that life brings Paint a vivid picture put the pieces in their places Ain't many saying A through Z to make their statements To get your point across in 8 bars is a task To make them wanna hear more of your point of views advanced We're up until all hours of the night dropping the science that drives us in life Christ and opportunities to rock the mic
