Lyrical Masterminds

[820ambition]

How can one explain the mystical and magical feeling invoked by song? Though it holds infinite inconclusive definitions, music can be referred to "artistic auditory communication" comprised of rhythm, soul, love, inspiration, feeling, technique, talent and experience.

To me, the most powerful ingredient of music is passion. Passion to the point where you can feel the artist's feelings and the music takes life. You can feel the emotion humming with each pluck of the guitar string, each hit on the drum, each note, and every word spoken. This network is a place for us to share these passionate works of art and this forum is a place for us to quote them. This forum discussion titled "Lyrical Masterminds" is a place to share those lyrics that make you feel alive. The lyrics that take you to the artist's mind and invoke exploration. Lyrics that express true feeling, true heart and true display of lyrical technique.

Share a whole song, just a verse, maybe even just a line. Quote a piece of poetry, a book or a speech. Share the words, lyrics and verses that provoke your thoughts in hopes that they will continue to inspire others as they have inspired you. Be sure to quote your authors, artists and songs as accurately and completely as possible.

[820ambition]

While the city slept I was still awake
Sittin in my room listenin to tapes, fillin up the space
Spillin my guts through an empty page
Pourin out my heart until puddled in front of the stage
Flooded with rage, performing as an opening act
With no sound check or door money for gas
So when my cd skipped, I heard emcees diss
I just got louder, until I fuckin' screamed it
While you were speakin words to live by
I was at work hidin from my boss, writing words to die for.

Performed by: Prolyphic
From the song: "Sage Francis, Prolyphic and B. Dolan - SFR Pays Dues"

[820ambition]

Sugar magnolia, blossoms blooming, head's all empty and I don't care,
Saw my baby down by the river, knew she'd have to come up soon for air.

Sweet blossom come on, under the willow, we can have high times if you'll abide
We can discover the wonders of nature, rolling in the rushes down by the riverside.

She's got everything delightful, she's got everything I need,
Takes the wheel when I'm seeing double, pays my ticket when I speed

Well, she comes skimmin' through rays of violet, she can wade in a drop of dew,
She don't come and I don't follow, waits backstage while I sing to you.

Well, she can dance a Cajun rhythm, jump like a Willy's in four wheel drive.
She's a summer love in the spring, fall and winter. She can make happy any man alive.

Performed by: The Grateful Dead
From the song: "The Grateful Dead - Sugar Magnolias"

[820ambition]

Yo, its night time I can't sleep
My pens beggin' me to write rhymes
Cory's a felony despite time
I erase the urge on the tip of my tongue
I taste the words a story is born, my glorious song
Hip hop cannot ignore me for long
I know her last man abused her, I can't refuse her
Alotta niggas used her, treated her like shit even confused her
She had class now she sellin it all for cash
When Marley had her, her face was more pure body fatter
Primo treated her good, made her the queen in my hood
She used to be out in Queens with DMC
And on the rooftp with Big, Fritz, and R.P.
She was fly she kept her shit tight
Yo if he didn't go to jail dun, she mighta been Slick Rick's wife
Disappeared a few years, she was "Stranded On Death Row"
Dre had her on anotha level in the west coast
She met a lame with with a drug dealer name
He had a lot for a while, then his whole style changed
You know the wisdom is reflected the knowledge when its manifested
If not fed in due time the mind is anorexic
You understand the message
I know I'm gettin to deep for some
Rhyme -- Uncut raw, the beat numb
Back to the subject in hand, I called her and said I miss her
Stop fuckin with my fake crew cuz they dissed her
Then along came the R, reminding her of her essence
Rza said she like a sister blessin her with lessons
She was stressed because she missed Pac
She still crying after B.I.G. died askin 'when will this shit stop?'
I love her like a mother, my physical path
She even overlooked the fact about my criminal past
And stayed with me in jail beyond gates visitors passed
No longer is she lettin niggas fuck her just for cash
Whats her name dun? *Echoed*

Performed by: Cormega
From the song: "Cormega - American Beauty"

[820ambition]

Saw a bird with a tear in his eye
Walking to New Orleans my oh my
Hey, now, Bird, wouldn't you rather die
Than walk this world when you're born to fly?

If I was the sun, I'd look for shade
If I was a bed, I would stay unmade
If I was a river I'd run uphill
If you call me you know I will
If you call me you know I will

Ooo, freedom
Ooo, liberty
Ooo, leave me alone
To find my own way home
To find my own way home

Say what I mean and I don't give a damn
I do believe and I am who I am
Hey now Mama come and take my hand
Whole lotta shakin' all over this land

If I was an eagle I'd dress like a duck
Crawl like a lizard and honk like a truck
If I get a notion I'll climb this tree
or chop it down and you can't stop me
Chop it down and you can't stop me

Ooo, freedom
Ooo, liberty
Ooo, leave me alone
To find my own way home
To find my own way home

Went to the well but the water was dry
Dipped my bucket in the clear blue sky
Looked in the bottom and what did I see?
The whole damned world looking back at me

If I was a bottle I'd spill for love
Sake of mercy I'd kill for love
If I was a liar I'd lie for love
Sake of my baby I'd die for love
Sake of my baby I'd die for love

Ooo, freedom
Ooo, liberty
Ooo, leave me alone
To find my own way home
To find my own way home
I'm gonna find my own way home

Lyrics by: Robert Hunter
Performed by: The Grateful Dead
From the song: "The Grateful Dead - Liberty"

[820ambition]

You know you really can't say that you blame niggaz
Fuck bein' tame, set a flame, tryin' to aim triggaz
2pac'll spark a revolution, fuck the constitution
I want my bucks for restitution
This time you got a bigger problem
Time to face the niggas from South Central, Oakland, Brooklyn and Harlem
And we ain't shootin' at eachother (fuck no), that's a motherfuckin' brother
So save two, run for cover
And other bitches from the clan
Come feel the wrath of a black man that doesn't smoke crack and
I don't drink St. Ides (fuck that!)
Genuine draft ganja ganja and my fuckin' Tec-9

Performed by: 2Pac Shakur
From the song: "2Pac - Crooked Nigga Too"

[820ambition]

"If you would be pungent, be brief; for it is with words as with sunbeams - the more they are condensed, the deeper they burn."
- Robert Southey

[820ambition]

I stay calm with my bat in a route of combat
I be inhaling my spliff as I'm exhaling the facts
I find comfort in my slacks, in my sacks, in my stacks
So I creep and add tax, fall asleep with my axe

Performed by: Professor X
From the song: "Professor X - Nine Teeth"

[820ambition]

Ain't no tellin' what this life is bout' to bring
One day ya here the day next ya gone
That's way I try to live right
Don't want to live wrong
And no guarantee if you gon' make it home
What go around come around
Everybody know that its real when you speakin' the karma
So do on to others like you want to be done, like Mary J no more drama

I'm a paper chaser believe that
On the ground where I plant my feet at
If it's not bout money I don't need that
You can keep that gossip can't you see that?

Stay locked on my mission
Cuz most of these niggas in the world ain't thinkin' bout the future
Young black entrepreneur
And I'm out to get more
So baby open the door
...
And if the road get too rough I'ma stand my ground
Keep my faith and call on the Lord
And I don't have to worry no more
Even if I fall

Performed by: Layzie Bone
From the song: "Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - If I Fall"

[devon]

It's like a whirlwind of emotions that occurs when moms and dads fight
It's like when a girl grins, an emotion of hers
That holds your arm, and grabs tight
Hurl him into the ocean, one of them cold sweat heat flash types
But extreme fluctuations and temperature changes
Have been known to crack pipes...
...crack pipes...crack pipes...

Meet me-- half way and i'll go that extra length just to help your strength
Meet me-- at the AA meeting, needing to take more than 12 steps
Bring me to your hiding place, so I can face your vice grip
I'll chisel every single monkey off your back with this ice pick
Come meet up with me on the sidelines when the game is over just to say hello
Then afterwards, backstage to let me know that you enjoyed the show
And go to grandma's house for Sunday dinner
Sit at the head of the table, take away the fatal flaw
you made the day before, I seen you bleed
Meet me-- on Christmas Eve, we can fight but make up before you leave
Make visits with the rest of those who rest in pieces of my dreams
Meet me at the fork in the road where lost souls get indecisive
Meet me at the crossroads so I can have someone to walk into the light with.

Performed by: Sage Francis
From the song: "Sage Francis- Crack Pipes"

[Ryan Johnson]

Peace
How y’all feel out there
That’s cool
Alright
You know, sometimes I wanna rap
Sometimes I wanna sing, you know what I mean
Sometimes all it calls for is a nice mellow groove
Hit of rimshot, you know
Just get, you know, get you open
But I wanna do a piece for y’all tonight, it’s called sometimes
Alright, so check it out
Sometimes a stranger can be your best friend
Sometimes being angry is the best mood
Sometimes seeing you feel good makes me feel even better
Sometimes hunger is the best food
Sometimes good just ain’t good enough
And other times evil will get you even
Sometimes faith is not knowing any better
Sometimes nothing is what you believe in
Woah

Sometimes I don’t even have a hook

Sometimes you fail trying
And sometimes happiness hurts worse
Sometimes people live dying
Sometimes it’s the last person that makes you first
Sometimes you’ll keep what you don’t want
And other times you’ll give away what you really need
Sometimes a rich man won’t have a dollar
And all a poor man has is greed
Woah

Sometimes
Sometimes I just wanna listen
Sounds good to me
Yeah
Ay yo Lock, put them strings right here
Sometimes I don’t think people know I’m as good as I really am

Now my recitings are writing over rhythm’s
Regularly reenacts facts of my existence
So what proof of my expertise, many emcees know of me
Using unrequested serious infested poetry
To provoke what persistence
For instance, I don’t let the T.V. screen come in between my daily routine

At a spot where me and my boy went
Someone interrupted our enjoyment
What do you know, an out of work emcee looking for employment
But I’m still courteous with my greeting, brother I’m eating
And his style sounded similar to someone elses
So evidently he’s been cheating
But I couldn’t question the destiny in which we meet
So, you guessed it, I suggested that he just have a seat
And then I explained to him that I remained in the mean time
Mastering mysterious methods of writing
Finding my piece of mind with soft music and moonlighting
Then supernaturally I forsee the beginning stages
And then eventually pages get filled completely
You see, I dive into the depths of my soul
Seeking to explore the hidden treasure of a pure literature
While these others are unsure
Being that the deepness makes them doubtful
Deliberately delaying
Saying they’ll settle for whatever washes toward the shore
Delirious from delusion
My feelings were no more direct so the conclusion is seclusion
Because mixed belief create confusion
To remain plain and simplistic, realistic
Accurate, articulate and absolutely artistic
Uninhibited, unadulterated, unstoppable
Unfuckwittable and unforgettable
But since I’ve been granted the power of choice
Let God bet the voice he is
So all the credibility is his
So let these be words of wisdom and in the same breath be warning
Son I shine like Sunday morning
Woah

Sometimes
See you next time

By Cee Lo Green
'Sometimes' from "cee lo green is the soul machine"