Respiration (Live at the North Sea Jazz Festival, 2005)

[Intro]
This what they told me to tell you

[Chorus]
So much on my mind, I just can't recline
Blast holes in the night 'til she bled sunshine
Breathe in, inhale vapors from bright stars that shine
Breathe out, green smoke retrace the skyline
Hold up, bass ride out like an ancient mating call
I can't take it, y'all, I can feel the city breathing
Chest heaving, against the flesh of the evening
This is how we ride...

[Verse]
Yo, on The Amen
Corner I stood lookin' at my former hood
Felt the spirit in the wind, knew my friend was gone for good
Threw dirt on the casket, the hurt, I couldn't mask it
Mixin' down emotions, struggle I hadn't mastered
What what, I choreograph seven steps to Heaven
In Hell, waiting to exhale and make the bread leaven
Veteran of a cold war; it's Chica-I-go for
What I know or what's known
Some days I take the bus home, just to touch home
From the crib I spend months gone
Sat by the window with a clutched dom
Listening to shorties cuss long
Young girls with weak minds, but they butt strong
Tried to call, or at least beep the Lord but didn't have a touch-tone
Dog-eat-dog world, you gotta mush on
Some of this land I must own, outta the city, they want us gone
Tearing down the 'jects creating plush homes
My circumstance is between Den Haag and Love Jones
Surrounded by hate, yet I love home
Asked my guy how he thought travelling the world sound
Found it hard to imagine, he hadn't been past downtown
It's deep, I heard the city breathe in its sleep
Of reality I touch, but for me it's hard to keep
Deep, I heard my man breathe in his sleep
Of reality I touch, but for me it's hard to keep

[Chorus]
Come on, so much on my mind, I just can't recline
Blast holes in the night 'til she bled sunshine
Breathe in, inhale vapors from bright stars that shine
Breathe out, weed smoke retrace the skyline
I heard the bass ride out like an ancient mating call
I can't take it, y'all, I can feel the city breathing
Chest heaving, against the flesh of the evening
We kiss the sky goodbye on the last train leaving

[Outro]
Check it, everybody say 'Oh yeah'
Say 'Oh yeah'
Say 'Oh yeah'
Say 'Oh yeah'
Say 'Oh yeah'
Say 'Oh yeah'
Say 'Oh oh yeah'
Now scream