Believe

You're my darlin', darli'n baby.
Someday a change will come, you will see.
You're my darlin', darlin' baby
I know that you'll be free, if you just believe.

I see him walking on the sidewalk early morn',
backpack, old shoes, no jacket on.
Head down, eyes fixed on the ground,
you can tell he don't really wanna take a look around,
'cause he's living in a war zone.
Just passed that spot where his big brother got shot.
His mama never tells him "come home".
Ever since bruh died, all she ever do is snort "hop".
Everybody thinks he's dead wrong,
in the back of the class,
don't nobody really think he can pass,
but he's not a quitter.
And he's scared of the past,
so the future is all that he has, gotta go and get it.
And he don't learn quick,
and he's not that smart, but the boy got heart,
and that's all that he needs, with his goals and his dreams.
You can make it, if you just believe.
(Just believe.)

You're my darlin', darlin' baby.
Someday a change will come, you'll see.
You're my darlin', darlin' baby.
I know that you'll be free, if you just believe.

I see her standing on the Ave, in her short dress.
15 years old, maybe a little less.
And her so-called boyfriend is 25.
He says if she ever leaves, then she gone die.
First time was the worse time,
might as well get paid for it, that's what her boyfriend said.
Men form a long line,
for the piece of the princess,
but her soul ain't dead.
Mama got a,
little flame and it flickers in the abstract
- that's a true North star.
She gone make a run for her freedome,
all she gotta do is backtrack- and be who you are.
Freedom's in the heart.
And her innocence's gone,
and the pain last long, but she will move on,
because all that she needs is her goals and her dreams.
You can make it if you just believe.
(Just believe)

You're my darlin', darlin' baby.
Someday a change will come, you will see.
You're my darlin', darlin' baby.
I know that you'll be free, if you just believe.

Now the children of the land, they can care less,
about the ideologies and the politics.
Ain't no philosophy ever feed me,
a kid starving ain't thinking about chemistry.
And we plan so long that we don't do,
and we really wanna help, but we don't move.
And we get gridlocked, and we just stop.
But if you listen, you can still hear the bodies drop.
So you wanna save the world?
Well you better save the block first,
it's a ticking time bomb.
And if you come into my hood,
understand you gotta knock first,
because respect goes long.
Right now it's the time to decide what it is.
Can't do it for yourself, then do it for the kids.
Because all that we need, is our goals and our dreams.
We can make it if you just believe.
(just believe)

You're my darlin', darlin' baby.
Someday a change will come, you'll see.
You're my darlin', darlin' baby.
I know that you'll be free if you just believe.
I know that you'll be free, if you just believe.