And The Stars Go With You

Verse 1:  Like yesterday / There's something old, something new / Along with me / Dim light and shadows / I want to walk with you / Please say yes / You can't keep a good man down / He'll always want to stand on his own / Help him to lift himself up / I've been trying to reach for the stars / Sometimes I come close / Other times I fall short / It's becoming a love-hate quest

Verse 2:  World keeps turning / I'm yearning to shine so bright / To burn the dark eyes / I've been seeing myself with / Fascination becomes obsession / Admiration is no longer shown / Jealousy be still / To you it's effortless / It comes naturally / The light within you radiates / I don't believe it just happens that way / The mystery deepens

Verse 3:  You're more than a simple creation / You're extraordinary / Luck delivers good fortune to you / I'd like to break bread with you / To learn things from the few / That shine as bright as you do

Chorus 1:  You breathe / And the stars go with you

Chorus 2:  You breathe / And the stars go with you / You get out of bed / Full of dreams and inspiration / I have tried but to no avail / To be like you / Maybe that's why I fail

Written by B. (Monday, January 2, 2006) Copyright 2006

If I Could Make A Living
Verse 1:  If I could make a living / I’d living on my own / In a small sized apartment / With room just for me and my belongings / If someone could hire me / I’d send out my resumes / I wouldn’t have to compete against demographics / I’d be optimistic about my prospects
Verse 2:  If I had gainful employment / I’d always be productive / Being punctual is what I would strive for / Arriving early is arriving on time / Exceeding expectations and going beyond limits / Can’t be utilized as an asset / If I’m perceived to be a liability
Verse 3:  Getting by is difficult / Since I don’t have much / It’s easier to be grateful / For all that I have / When I’m part of the have not’s / Despite the hardships that I endure / I’m glad to be alive / God is the one who gave me life / But sometimes I feel like I don’t have potential
Chorus 1:  I would be independent / By deciding on what’s best for me / Making choices that I wouldn’t regret / By weighing the cons against the pros / There’s no place that I wouldn’t work / There’s no task that I couldn’t complete / I’d be all I could be / If I could make a living
Chorus 2:  I would be independent / By deciding on what’s best for me / Making choices that I wouldn’t regret / By weighing the cons against the pros / There’s no place that I wouldn’t work / There’s no task that I couldn’t complete / Excelling at my responsibilities / Would increase my personal capital / And eventually lead to a raise / Possibly a year-end bonus / I’d have more money to spend / But more importantly, more money to save / There’s no person that I wouldn’t work with / There’s nothing that I wouldn’t do / I’d be all I could be / If I could make a living
Written by B. (Sunday, December 11, 2005) Copyright 2005

We

Verse 1:  We are not candy, we are not animals / We're originators of a land / That's been used and abused / We are serious about our liberation / We're disengaging from creations / Which have been designed to harm us / Nothing is more important than truth and independence / The authority of our lives / What we choose to believe in / It's what we worship / It's what we try to manifest regularly / Without it, we're epically hollow / And far from who we should be / Perfecting the skills of listening and thinking / Will determine the path of our journey / And our eternal status

Verse 2:  Brain-washing is a practice we engage in / To rid ourselves of the junk / That's been accumulated over the years / The notions of inferiority were accepted and taught / And now are rejected / They are banished from our breath and sounds / From our thoughts and behaviour / If it's not important, then it's not worth trying / Something to ignore, something to forget / And to not be bothered with / We've been carrying the heavy weight of frustration and anger / Our experiences were being tainted / And our senses were compromised

Verse 3:  There are consequences to having nothing / To letting anything affect you / To suppressing your natural abilities / What you give is ultimately what you get / So give all that you can to yourself / Be exceedingly generous / There are rules to follow, plans to conceive of / Whatever condition you're in / You'll need confidence for elevation

Chorus:  We will be healthy / We will be mighty again / We will express ourselves in productive and profound ways / We will be intelligent / We will be compassionate / We will learn how to be human again

Written by B. (Wednesday, January 13, 2016) Copyright 2016

Untitled

Verse 1:  Addicted to lemons instead of guys named Don / Refusing to be tainted by the personalities of others / Worshipping spices instead of white Jesus / The pot has been stirred and its hotter than cayenne pepper / Swimming in clean water instead of watching TV / Being physically active will stimulate my mind / Accepting myself while rejecting self-help gurus / Doctor [fill in the blank] can lecture someone else / Soaking up sunlight instead of bad habits / Being filled with the warmth of the light and wanting more

Verse 2:  Stuffing my face with books instead of rice and beans / I won't be obese and I'll be well-informed / Recognizing who enemies are and keeping them close to me / Like a game of snakes and ladders / You're one step away from being bitten / Putting on costumes to keep me warm / Instead of hiding from myself and the rest of the world / Selling the truth instead of bodies and lies / Purity and honesty are a forgotten art / Like an ancient city, it's waiting to be uncovered / When it's personal, it's priceless / Knowing what to keep and discard / Beginning as a caterpillar then becoming a butterfly

Verse 3:  Using information as a weapon instead of guns and bombs / When it's accurate and concise, it can cut through lies and deception / Like the strongest spider web preventing a stampede / From trampling over everything that's pure and precious / Accepting history for the way it is / Instead of sweeping it off its feet and romanticizing it / Even though it can be altered and casually dismissed / I'll keep searching for what's real and dismiss all that's fake

Verse 4:  Learning how to play chess instead of how to hate / Being logical and strategic when dealing with differences / Catching flies with honey instead of a cold from germs / Jumping over obstacles and relishing in victory / Effects from a thought can outlast the beating of a heart / If I'm careful enough / What I do will be replicated and improved upon / Being the king of my domain without wearing a crown / Sovereign in mind, body, and soul

Chorus:  No desperate need for superiority / I am who I am, I know what I know / You can't appease me with ponies / I'll reject your lollipops / I'll ride my own wave / No matter how large or small

Written by B. (Thursday, November 5, 2015) Copyright 2015

Close The Door

Verse 1:  I don't believe in dinosaurs, dragons, or aliens / Fairy tales are glorified lies / Even though there are spooks everywhere / Danger lurks around / If you trade your freedom for safety / Then you're foolish / You've given away your power to decide / Rendered, tragically, subservient onto others / You'd be a typical beggar among attainable riches / A cautionary tale for the impressionable

Verse 2:  The fakery of my foundation permeates through my senses / Like a virus absorbed into the body / I'm hungry for the reasons why I breathe, build and destroy / So I check the ground to walk over scattered shackles / I, fortunately, understand the power to decide / Rendered aware of my ability for self-determination / A sleepwalker, what I used to be / Until I awoke from my slumber and defeated pseudo-realities

Verse 3:  You as one, you as deceptively whole / Observing me, judging me / I as one, I as partially broken / Incomplete but with a soul / However damaged it may seem / What I use is, ultimately, what I own / Especially the power I have to decide / Rendered, rightfully, accountable for my thoughts and words / This is a true representation of who I am as an individual / It is not, however, an endorsement to abandon / Your state of unrealized wealth

Chorus 1:  Although a slave from conception, it is not my birthright / Although governed by the laws of water, my true identity holds / I am abused and tested upon / But my original record is unamendable / I close the door to the world / And settle within and around myself

Chorus 2:  Close the door / Don't let whispers and looks of harmful intent  / To settle within yourself

Written by B. (Tuesday, August 5, 2014) Copyright 2014

Journey

Verse 1:  In the age of loneliness / Getting through each day is difficult / In many ways it's dangerous / Dangerous to our survival / Not all of us can cope / With the hardships that we endure / A bridge and a river / Seem to be the only option

Verse 2:  Handsome creatures are like trinkets / They all come and they all go / The glimmering shine starts to fade / It's value becomes questionable / So you engage in trading / Searching for something brighter / You don't know who you are / You can't determine what you want to be / No passion equates to no action / A driving force can get you far / Ambition and attitude can help construct your narrative

Verse 3:  Assigning meaning to things / Makes us different from animals / But that doesn't necessarily / Mean that we won't act like them / Being careless and free / Is what many of us dream to be / Reality and its outcomes sometimes aren't dealt with / How the mind functions is truly fascinating / Everything begins and ends between the ears

Chorus:  Half the world away / There's someone like you / In your position / But you'll never know / If you don't grow out / The journey is long

Written by B. (Thursday, May 8, 2014) Copyright 2014

Who We Are Instead

Verse 1:  I may come across as being shy and timid / But that’s just an act / I can weasel my way into situations / For my benefit / Winning is never tiring

Verse 2:  You may come across as being nurturing / But that’s just an act / You tend to others varied feelings and emotions / Then manipulate them / People say you have a good heart / They say you have a kindred soul / Many would nominate you for Time’s Person of The Year / You’re a fierce competitor / Challenges give you a rush / When there’s something that you want / You fight everyone to win it

Verse 3:  You and I may come across as being compassionate / But that’s just an act / Everyone should be mindful of us / We’ll turn lives upside down / And declare ourselves winners

Bridge:  You and I are human time bombs / Get too close to us / And we’re guaranteed to blow you away / We have tricks up our selves / Always finding clever ways / To get ahead of others / We win all the time

Chorus 1:  This is who I am instead / I like messing around with your head / You never know what you’ll get from me / Once you realize that I’m much different / Than I pretend to be

Chorus 2:  This is who you are instead / You like messing around with heads / People never know what they’ll get from you / Once they realize that you’re much different / Than you pretend to be

Chorus 3:  This is who we are instead / We like messing around with your head / You never know what you’ll get from us / Once you realize that we’re much different / Than we pretend to be

Written by B. (Monday, December 12, 2005) Copyright 2005

Something New

Verse 1:  I'm liking your div chic / Casually cool and mysteriously captivating / Where are you from? / Why are you here? / You tower over me / I look up to you with such rare admiration / In your line of view / You draw me closer to your side / I'm claimed as your prize / When you undress me with your eyes / Where are you from? / Why are you here?

Verse 2:  You're confidently aware of who you are / And what you wish to attain / Your soothing energy spills directly into me / A rush of senses collide / And burst into our cores / I've never experienced your ways of being / And I like how you elevate me into your sphere / The motions we make against the backdrop of time / Resonate along the touch of our skin / You're blissfully satisfying

Verse 3:  When you reach out your hand / You form a connection with me / I hope it's unbreakable / I'll use what I have and you'll do the same / I like how you think / Your ideas are refreshingly bold / And they make me believe in who you are / When you decide on something / You act swiftly / You're beautifully and incredibly inspiring

Chorus:  So sharp, so real, so good / Something new I'm experiencing / So sharp, so real, so good / Something new I'm excited about

Outro:  Dreams only occur when you're sleeping / When you're sleeping / When you're sleeping / When you're sleeping

Written by B. (Saturday, June 14, 2014) Copyright 2014

The Black Parade

Verse 1:  Spend money with your oppressor / A daily ritual / Hold your hand out for crumbs and be grateful / Adjust your attitude and beliefs to fit the norm / Born without privileges and learning through the storm / Solo and so low in a wicked system / A product of mistakes and trauma / A damaged item

Verse 2:  Golden opportunities evaporating into the air / Assumed connections weakening amid controversy / Self-constraint doesn't exist / When microphones are shoved in your face / Giving away secrets and customs for momentary gain / Forming crucial bonds is undesirable / An island unto yourself / What you dread the most won't cease to be / 21st century reality

Verse 3:  Fallen from grace and worshipping an external force / Mirrors have been shattered into unrecognizable pieces / Reasoning in short supply / An abundance of emotions / The black parade is always seen but rarely acknowledged

Bridge 1:  You're f***** up and you don't realize it / Acclimation to dysfunction has been successful / Groomed from conception to engage in destruction / Your output is a manifestation of self-hatred

Bridge 2:  You're incomplete in a broken world / A collection of disappointment and depression / A psyche passed through generations / You're unsettled and usually on edge

Chorus:  You're f***** up and you don't realize it / Daring and dangerous / You're incomplete in a broken world / Detached and declining / The black parade - what's constructed and flawed / The black parade - reflections of existence

Written by B. (Wednesday, January 13, 2016) Copyright 2016

The Good Wife

Verse 1:  Unison - elusive and fleeting / Like a butterfly landing in your hands / You wouldn't want to hurt it / You'd only want to see it fly / To become one with the elements of nature / You've always been the one to cherish and adore / Never desirous of being placed on a pedestal / In sync with my aspirations and designs / I know that the choices I make are right / Instead of being exposed, you wanted to be significant / Retaining who you are with only slight modifications / Having a sense of purpose that transforms into deep pride / While accompanying me on my journeys

Verse 2:  Expansion - necessary and challenging / To grow like a plant in any condition / Adopting new beliefs while maximizing your core strengths / Revealing only what you want others to see / With a heart full of formidable intent / You aren't distracted by foolish games and wasteful passion / You're sensible enough to make the right moves

Verse 3:  Taking care of you while looking out for our best interests / Plans get twisted and have to be re-arranged / With each detour, our attachment becomes bolder / Out of me, into you - new energy / A reflection of complex abilities / Without explanations, without apologies / You're right behind following my lead

Chorus:  Graceful and highly determined / Uncompromising as a singular unit / Our creations are a result of you being the good wife

Written by B. (Sunday, July 19, 2015) Copyright 2015

Ticket To Ride
Verse 1:  A whole lotta nothing / Nothing turned into something / Something you could have never imagined in your wildest dreams / Across the pond and into the belly of the beast / Faceless lads waiting in the wings for a feast / The throne is mighty, the throne is bold / If what you sell flies off the shelves / You'll collect gold / With white envelopes stacked up like mountains / And audiences tuning into the spectacle / A new mandate is created and fostered through the youth
Verse 2:  Charming poise and hypnotic hooks are in abundance / Wild crowds on the verge of overtaking the stage / Sweating like a pig as they're dressed in black / A thousand eyes on them / Some already on the attack / "They're great", "They're fake" / "They're overrated", "They're the sound of the future" / With white envelopes stacked up like mountains / And a barrage of questions being asked / The fraternity goes beyond chords and chaos
Bridge 1:  With barricades planted firmly on the ground / And being met by clamorous brunettes and blondes / The TV man is intrigued / And knows it could translate into gold
Bridge 2:  With white envelopes stacked up like mountains / And delving into deeper matters / Their legacy continues to evolve into remarkable tales / While others seek crowns and minds to mould / Their status is steeped in gold
Chorus:  The juggernaut is travelling at a hundred miles an hour / If you're oblivious to it, you'll get steam-rolled / With lights, cameras and acclaim / The focus is on those who cause others to act insane / Days of shock and despair gave way to the new madness / And it lingers in the senses of all / This is the ticket to ride into the hearts of a generation
Written by B. (Monday, May 18, 2015) Copyright 2015

The Wound And The Bow
Verse 1:  Take one day at a time / It's not a sprint, it's a marathon / Although days pass quickly / What was still is / Remembering everything would be unbearable / Remembering nothing is impossible / Some thoughts are unforgettable / They're embedded in the mind / When they resurface in a conscious state / Past becomes present
Verse 2:  Once fear is realized / It's difficult to be bold / Surrendering is effortless / The head and eyes face the ground / If a challenge occurs and the result is a loss / Then breaking down even further can destroy the soul / A deterrent to overcoming despair / Is knowing how harsh things can be / It's as powerful as a raging storm / Unforgiving, unrelenting
Bridge 1:  Back, to the start, once again / Trying, to learn how to live, in changing times
Bridge 2:  Broken, always pierced, to the core / Struggling, to forgive, in changing times
Bridge 3:  Rarely alone, solitude is elusive / Stifling, without mercy, in changing times / Back, to the start, once again / Broken, always pierced, to the core
Chorus:  The wound and the bow / What's in me and what you held / The wound and the bow / What surrounds me and what reigns supreme / The wound and the bow / What's hidden and never healed / The wound and the bow / What's constricting and what's oppressive
Written by B. (Monday, September 8, 2014) Copyright 2014

Untitled

Verse 1:  I am a man as a man I've been told / Real and grown-as* is the way I've been sold / I tower over others and I'm built like a rock / Bred from days of bondage / My abilities will not be mocked / I am a man who has raised up his mind / Facts and figures are what I've dealt with / Contracts are signed and large funds are collected / I don't rough it up in the hood / And I'm not an empire

Verse 2:  Some say, some suggest / That I'm not what I appear to be / Controversial implications no longer bother me / Some do, many won't say anything / Directly to my face / Varying degrees of hostility are displayed / Even among my race / Interpreters of the most-read book / Bestow disappointment and shame / Through my existence / I generate a lot of blame

Verse 3:  Hot-tongued individuals  refuse to ignore me / Many people I encounter / Just look right through me / I've learned how not to view myself / Through the eyes of others / Countless hours of solitude / Have yet to fail me / I am a man as a man I've been told / Creations dwell in me / Therefore, I must be bold

Chorus:  I'm a blast from the past / And I'm ahead of my time / The principles of my being / Are constantly being debated on

Written by B. (Saturday, December 13, 2014) Copyright 2014

Untitled

Verse 1:  Don't step outside the box / Always looking out / Wondering what all this commotion's about / We are stuck here / And we're always trying to live the simple life / We try to keep things clean / We try to keep progressing / Maintaining a sense of identity is like climbing Everest / But that can't stop us / No, it won't stop us / From ever realizing our greater purpose / Witnessing and storing everything in sight / Disliking what we're processing / We'll try to change it / Change it for the better / Implement a new code for generations

Verse 2:  Pay no attention to us / You do you, I do me / Let us be with our forgotten, tortured dreams / Fear and hate reside here / And we're always lying to live another day / Being surrounded by filth ultimately makes us filthy / It's a badge of honour / And it's worn proudly / Don't judge us for being different from you / We'll never be shamed / No, you can't shame us / Changing our ways is like wanting elephants to fly / Destroying and disrespecting everything in sight / Disliking those who stand in our way / We'll try to ignore them / Pretend they don't exist / Influence generations that will come to be

Verse 3:  When we're ruined, we'll hide behind powerful protectors / They create the laws to which we abide by / No accountability, no remorse / Our future is predetermined / We're carried along / When things run smoothly, then things are rough / And the days will rise and fall on the whims of men / Unpredictability is invisible / And it's everywhere just like air

Chorus:  Fight for your kind / And we'll fight for ours / Battles revolving around lines / In pursuit of victory to occupy minds / It's dangerous, it's complicated, it's worthwhile

Written by B. (Saturday, November 29, 2014) Copyright 2014

After The Fall

Verse 1:  If you could predict the future / Would you have chosen a different path? / Does that really matter even after you have fallen? / It's always inevitable / It would have happened anyway / But I guess the sooner, the better so you can change your life

Verse 2:  You live, you learn / And mistakes are unavoidable / If they were then everyone would be flawless / But that doesn't mean you don't have to know the rules / You're responsible for everything you do or don't do

Bridge 1:  There's so many questions you have to ask yourself / And you don't know where to begin / You don't look scared, but I know you are / Not knowing something can be frightening

Bridge 2:  Guilt can consume you like a virus and kill you / But there's a cure that eradicated it from your body / What you need to do is confess / Admit what you have done wrong / That is the first step to take / One day you can break away from the shackles / That have been placed upon you / And then your life will never be the same again / After the fall, you can become whole again

Chorus:  After the fall you will want to be redeemed / For all of the sins you have committed / And you hope that you will be forgiven / To be cleansed is what you want to achieve

Written by B. (Monday, February 4, 2002) Copyright 2002