Song Lyrics

Yeah, what's happening my peoples
That's how we're struggling
Yeah, I know it's hard out here man
But ain't nobody said it was gonna be easy
You know what I mean?
Together we stand
That's how we're struggling
Divided we fall
What's happenin ya'll?
What's crackin?

Ain't nothing changed since I was a kid
Nothing but the days, months and the years
Putting it down and keeping it serious
Trying to keep from shedding these tears
You would have thought that it would have got better
Making that rapping and doing these shows
But to me it only got worse
Close to (?) nobody knows
The real steam, the reason why, I do the things that I do
Getting so high, drinking these brews
Feeling like I've got nothing to lose
I payed my dues and the Lord blessed me
But now I pray to save my mother, and my brother
Lord please help me
Heavy loads should be for heavy people
But niggas just trying to provide for their family
Facing cops and evil
And we need our higher powers
So what I'm going to do is keep my prayers to the sky for you
Won't tell no lie for you, but nigga I'm willing to die for you
Undivided, reunited
With the fist in the pyramid
Right about now I'm about to tip my lid
Somebody tell me what this is
A dream, a reality, my sanity about to give in
Got the fame and the fortune but this ain't living

This ain't livin', but it's the only thing I know
This ain't livin', I've got to find a higher road
This ain't livin', but it's the only thing I know
This ain't livin', I've got to find a higher road

From the past, the present through, I'm talking about the struggle
The shit hit me so hard I be swearing I'm seeing devils
Sometimes it makes me wonder how I hold and maintain
No matter which direction always seems against the grain
What to do, what to do? I'm praying for solution
In the course that I be kicking have me in a institution
Trying to rid this life, of one I didn't chose
How you gonna f*ck me, I payed my dues
Every minute of my life I be trying to focus
Just when I think I got it someone make me know it
Ain't the way I need to be
And my eyes way heavy but
I keep on pushing 'cause I ain't livin' for nothing

This ain't livin', but it's the only thing I know
This ain't livin', I've got to find a higher road
This ain't livin', but it's the only thing I know
This ain't livin', I've got to find a higher road

On a quest for peace, on a quest for peace
But I can't escape these wicked streets
Got me to realise that I could jeopardize
A chance for my kids to be
What they want to be and what they could be
And I ain't trying to be that hoody
But I wish somebody understood me so they could see the good in me
Trying to do thangs to make the world better
And everybody hittin' me to be doing what I'm doing
Strickly out here chasin this cheddar
Ain't nothin' free ain't nothin' fair to me
So all in all it's only me
Take care of me and you should be doing the same thang
My niggas complain'
Trying to do to much explainin'
When the key is really maintainin'
Waitin' for the Lord to stop the rainin'
Playing it safe we got to check ourselves
Before we wreck ourselves
First we got to respect ourselves
'Cause a nigga won't give us nothin' else
Don't sit there and talk me to death
Go and get off your thang
I'm a see a change when you make a change
I believe I know the game
Enduring our pain 'cause you got to take it
And if you want it you'll make it
See the drama and shake it
Get your mind right

This ain't livin', but it's the only thing I know
This ain't livin', I've got to find a higher road
This ain't livin', but it's the only thing I know
This ain't livin', I've got to find a higher road

He's on drugs 'cause he's unhealthy
Family's splitting up 'cause they're struggling
Somebody out there, don't you feel the need?
Feeling hopeless 'cause I'm in (?slowly?)
I'm lookin' for a better day
I be praying for a better day
I've been lookin' for a better way

This ain't livin', but it's the only thing I know
This ain't livin', I've got to find a higher road
This ain't livin', but it's the only thing I know
This ain't livin', I've got to find a higher road

Joe Sample, Will Jennings

The duration of This Ain't Livin' is 4:27 minutes and seconds.