CAT S IN THE CRADLE My child arrived just the other day He came to the world in the usual way But there were planes to catch and bills to pay He learned to walk while I was away And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew He'd say "I'm gonna be like you dad You know I'm gonna be like you" And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man on the moon When you comin' home dad? I don't know when, but we'll get together then son You know we'll have a good time then My son turned ten just the other day He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play Can you teach me to throw", I said "Not today I got a lot to do", he said, "That's ok" And he walked away but his smile never dimmed And said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah You know I'm gonna be like him" And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man on the moon When you comin' home son? I don't know when, but we'll get together then son You know we'll have a good time then Well, he came home from college just the other day So much like a man I just had to say "Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?" He shook his head and said with a smile "What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys See you later, can I have them please?" And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man on the moon When you comin' home son? I don't know when, but we'll get together then son You know we'll have a good time then I've long since retired, my son's moved away I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind" He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time You see my new job's a hassle and kids have the flu But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad It's been sure nice talking to you" And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me He'd grown up just like me My boy was just like me And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man on the moon When you comin' home son? I don't know when, but we'll get together then dad We re gonna have a good time then OPERATOR Operator Oh could you help me place this call? You see the number on the matchbook is old and faded She's livin' in L.A. With my best old ex-friend Ray A guy she said she knew well and sometimes hated (chorus) Isn't that the way they say it goes? But let's forget all that And give me the number if you can find it So I can call just to tell 'em I'm fine and to show I've overcome the blow I've learned to take it well I only wish my words could just convince myself that it just wasn't real But that's not the way it feels Operator Oh could you help me place this call? 'Cause I can't read the number that you just gave me There's something in my eyes You know it happens every time I think about the love That I thought would save me (chorus) No, no, no, no That's not the way it feels Operator Oh let's forget about this call There's no one there I really wanted to talk to Thank you for your time Oh you've been so much
more than kind You can keep the dime (chorus) UNFORGIVEN New blood joins this earth And quickly he's subdued Through constant pained disgrace The young boy learns their rules With time the child draws in This whipping boy done wrong Deprived of all his thoughts The young man struggles on and on, he's known A vow unto his own That never from this day His will they'll take away Never be Never see Won't see what might have been They dedicate their lives To running out of his He tries to please them all This bitter man he is Throughout his life the same He's battled constantly This fight he cannot win A tired man they see no longer cares The old man then prepares To die regretfully That old man here is me Never be Never see Won't see what might have been Never be Never see Won't see what might have been
You labeled me I'll label you You label me I'll label you SEE THE SUN AGAIN I'm comin' 'round to open the blinds You can't hide here any longer My God you need to rinse those puffy eyes You can't last here any longer you've been And you'll have to tell them again and again And you probably don't want to hear tomorrow's another day Well I promise you you'll see And you're asking me why pain's the only way to happiness Come on take my hand We're going for a walk, I know you can You can wear anything as long as it's not black Please don't mourn forever She's not coming back And yes they'll ask you where you've been And you'll have to tell them again and again And you probably don't want to hear tomorrow's another day Well I promise you you'll see And you're asking me why pain's the only way to happiness And yes they'll ask you where
Do you remember telling me you found the sweetest thing of all You d said one day this was worth dying for So be thankful you knew her at all But it's no more And you probably don't want to hear tomorrow's another day Well I promise you you'll see And you're asking me why pain's the only way to happiness SECRET SONG (CLOSER) So leave your taxi waiting And turn and close my door And sit back down where you were sitting A little closer than before And when you look that serious It just makes me want you more And I've been meaning to tell you The closer you get, the better I feel The closer you are, the more I see Why everyone says that I look happier when you're around The closer you get, the better I feel And yes I know you're nervous Never seen you so unsure You haven't touched your food tonight And you're drinking more and more And there's no need to hurry Take your time I'll still be here And I've been meaning to tell you The closer you get, the better you see The closer you are, the more I see Why everyone says that I look happier when you're around The closer you get, the better I feel The better I feel We've been circling for time baby We re coming down to land tonight The wait is over now it's easy Everything is fine (Chorus Repeat)
MY STUPID MOUTH My stupid mouth Has got me in trouble I said too much again To a date over dinner yesterday And I could see She was offended She said, "Well anyway" Just dying for a subject change Oh, it's another social casualty Score one more for me How could I forget? Mama said, "Think before speaking" No filter in my head Oh, what's a boy to do I guess he better find one soon We bit our lips She looked out the window Rolling tiny balls of napkin paper I played a quick game of chess with the salt and pepper shaker And I could see clearly An indelible line was drawn Between what was good What just slipped out and what went wrong Oh, the way she feels about me has changed Thanks for playing, try again How could I forget? Mama said, "Think before speaking" No filter in my head Oh, what's a boy to do I guess he better find one I'm never speaking up again It only hurts me I'd rather be a mystery Than she desert me Oh, I'm never speaking up again Starting now Starting now One more thing Why is it my fault? So maybe I try too hard But it's all because of this desire I just wanna be liked I just wanna be funny Looks like the jokes on me So call me captain backfire I'm never speaking up again It only hurts me I'd rather be a mystery Than she desert me Oh, I'm never speaking up again I'm never speaking up again I'm never speaking up again Starting now Starting now
ROSES I know it's past visiting hours But can I please give her these flowers? The doctor don't wanna take procedures He claim her heart can't take the anesthesia It'll send her body into a seizure The little thing by the hospital bed, It'll stop beepin' Hey chick, I'm at a lost for words What do you say at this time? Remember when I was nine Tell her everything goin' be fine But I d be lyin', my family cryin' They want her to live and she tryin' I'm arguin' like what kinda doctor can we fly in? You know the best medicine go to people that's paid If Magic Johnson got a cure for AIDS And all the broke motherf****s passed away You tellin' me that if my grandma's in the NBA Right now she'd be okay? But since she was just a secretary workin' for the church for 35 years, things s'posed to stop right here? My grandfather tryna pull it together, he's strong That's where I get my confidence from I ask the nurse, "Did you do the research?" She asked me, "Can you sign some t-shirts?" "B***h is you smokin' reefa?" You don't see that we hurt? But still... I smile, when roses come to see me And I can't wait for the sunny days (seeing it through your eyes) Can't wait for the clouds to break They outside of the emergency room (room) You can feel my heart beat (beat, beat) If she goin' pull thru We goin' find out soon, but right now she sleep (sleep, sleep) My mama said they say she could pass away any day Hey chick, what these doctors know anyway? Let me see the X-Rays, I ain't no expert, I m just hurt Cousin Kim took off work Plus my Aunt Shirley, Aunt Beverly, Aunt Clay, Aunt Jeanne So many Aunties, we could have a auntie team Feel like Amerie, It's this one thing.
When they said that she made it You see their eyes gleam I think we at a all time high To get there we run, we fly, we drive Cuz with my family, you know where home is So instead of sending flowers, we the roses It brings the sunshine Ooooooh Can't wait, I can't wait Can't wait, I can't wait Can't wait, I can't wait Can't wait, for a sunny day Tell ya mama can't wait For the clouds to break Oh no, no Say Tellin' you the truth now Said, I can't wait I won't wait