When I was watching TV back in ’73
A skinny old man sure appealed to me
His name by now, I’m sure you know
The man who played a starring role in Jacques Cousteau

And ever since then I’ve written the dude
Dreaming of swimming around the
coral reef
I’d even bought my camera and my scuba gear
If only Jacques had called to stop a career

I wanna be a narrator
For the Jacques Cousteau show

Swimming under water with my microphone
I’d record noises in the aqua-zone
Chasing down the killer whale that’s eating our crew
Just to bring the story (facts) back to you

I wanna be a narrator
For the Jacques Cousteau show

I’ve written the networks, sent my picture too
Done everything I could possibly do
I’ve given up trying to get through to him
Maybe he knows I don’t know how to swim

I wanna be a narrator
For the Jacques Cousteau show

If you believe the western sun is falling down on everyone
If you break it free and the morning?s come
If you would now your time has come
If you believe the western sun is falling down on everyone
And you feel it burn, don?t try to run
And you feel it burn, your time has come

And I feel it
You feel another energy and I feel a power growing
You feel another energy and I feel a power grow
You feel another energy and I feel a power grow

If you believe the western sun is falling down on everyone
If you break it free and the morning?s come
If you would now your time has come
If you believe the western sun is falling down on everyone
And you feel it burn, don?t try to run
And you feel it burn, your time has come

And I feel it!
You feel another energy and I feel a power growing
You feel another energy and I feel a power grow
You feel another energy and I feel a power grow

Aum Namah Narayana [repeated many times]
And I feel it…and I feel it…and I feel it… You feel another energy

You feel another energy and I feel a power growing
You feel another energy and I feel a power grow

Dear momma’s boy I know you’ve had your butt licked by your mother
I know you’ve enjoyed all that attention from her
And every woman graced with your presence after
Dear narcissus boy I know you’ve never really apologized for anything
I know you’ve never really taken responsibility
I know you’ve never really listened to a woman

Dear me-show boy I know you’re not really into conflict resolution
Or seeing both sides of every equation
Or having an uninterrupted conversation

And any talk of healthiness
And any talk of connectedness
And any talk of resolving this
Leaves you running for the door

(why why do I try to love you
Try to love you when you really don’t want me
To)

Dear egotist boy you’ve never really had to suffer any consequence
You’ve never stayed with anyone longer than ten minutes
You’d never understand anyone showing resistance
Dear popular boy I know you’re used to getting everything so easily
A stranger to the concept of reciprocity
People honor boys like you in this society

And any talk of selflessness
And any talk of working at this
And any talk of being of service
Leaves you running for the door

(why why do I try to help you try to help you
When you really don’t want me to)

You go back to the women who will dance the dance
You go back to your friends who will lick your ass
You go back to ignoring all the rest of us
You go back to the center of your universe

Dear self centered boy I don’t know why I still feel affected by you
I’ve never lasted very long with someone like you
I never did although I have to admit I wanted to
Dear magnetic boy you’ve never been with anyone who doesn’t take your shit
You’ve never been with anyone who’s dared to call you on it
I wonder how you’d be if someone were to call you on it

And any talk of willingness
And any talk of both feet in
And any talk of commitment
Leaves you running for the door

(why why do I try to change you try to
Try to change you when you really don’t
Want me to)

You go back to the women who will dance the dance
You go back to your friends who will lick your ass
You go back to being so oblivious
You go back to the center of the universe

I’m on a train, but there’s no one at the helm
And there’s a demon in my brain
Who starts to overwhelm whelm whelm whelm whelm
And there it goes, my last chance for peace
You lay me down, but I get no release
And I say I, I try to keep awake
I try to swim beneath
I try to keep awake
But I, I can feel this narcolepsy slide
Into another nightmare
And there’s a demon in my head who starts to play
A nightmare tape loop of what went wrong yesterday
And I hold my breath till it’s more than I can take
And I close my eyes and dream that I’m awake
I try to keep awake
I try to keep awake
I try to keep awake
But I, I can feel this narcolepsy slide
Into another nightmare
I read dead Russian authors volumes at a time
I write everything down except what’s on my mind
Cause my greatest fear is that sucking sound
And then I know that I’ll never get back out
And there’s a bone in my hand that connects to a drink
In a crowded room where the glasses clink
And I’ll buy you a beer and we’ll drink it deep
Because that keeps me from falling asleep I said
How’d you like to be alone and drowning
How’d you like to be alone and drowning
How’d you like to be alone and drowning
How’d you like to be alone and drowning
Still I find this narcolepsy slide slide
Into another nightmare
Keep awake, keep awake, keep awake
And I can feel this narcolepsy slide

Slip and stumble at my first offences
It’s not treason, it’s no lie
You talk in paragraphs
I write my sentence
It’s not treason, it’s no lie

It seemed a place for us to dream x2

Crush and crumble under your defenses
It’s not treason, it’s no lie
You frame the photograph
I sit on fences
Change of season, love can die

It seemed a place for us to dream x4

If we tear out the tumor
It’s later, never sooner
If we tear out the tumor
It’s later, never sooner

It seemed a place for us to dream x2

You’d better keep it in check
Or you’ll end up a wreck
And you’ll never wake up
You’d better keep it in check
Or you’ll end up a wreck
And you’ll never wake up
Wake up x3

It seemed a place for us to dream x2

You’d better keep it in check
Or you’ll end up a wreck
And you’ll never wake up x4
Wake up

to the wounded: i have seen the self image that they’ve forced you to reduce to shattered glass, with the only remaining value lying in its jagged edges. but the few who warrant waking for await their recognition. no fear of death but with fear of life, your weakness fills everyone. so live. angels for everyone. for no lack of searching i can’t seem to find one. angels in everyone. what of all their promises? can’t seem to find much more than lies. angels in anyone. a permanent solution to a temporary problem. before i’d lay me down to rest, i’d throw away everything to live.

[Nas] Motherfuckin Dre!
[Dre] AHHHHHHH!
[Nas] Whassup my nigga?
[Dre] Sup NAS?
[Nas] Chillin God
[Dre] Niggaz is up in here hittin some of this CHRONIC nigga
[Nas] Yeah and this chocolate over here
They mixed this shit up
[Dre] Nigga hit some of this shit nigga
[Nas] Yeah, lemme get that
I’m tired of these niggaz, niggaz stealin beats
And niggaz is stealin, your whole techniques and shit
Niggaz wanna take everything from a nigga man
[Dre] Yeah yeah yo Nas it’s like this man
(“Nas is coming..”)
Niggaz can’t do it like I do it, d’yaknahmsayin?
Just like niggaz can’t do what you do
(“Nas is coming..”)
[Nas] Right, right
[Dre] You know, can’t nobody fuck with this
(“Nas is coming..”)
You know all these niggaz out here just..
(“Nas is coming..”)
talkin this East coast West coast bullshit
Niggaz need to kill that shit
(“Nas is coming..”)
and make some money, y’know?
[Nas] WORD!
(“Nas is coming..”)
[Dre] Fuck it
[Nas] What is it, what is it God?
(“Nas is coming..”)
[Dre] Let’s get together, make some fuckin music
[Nas] Right, that’s what I’m sayin, that’s what I’m sayin
[Dre] and get PAID, and just.. let that be it
(“Nas is coming..”)
All these niggaz talkin all this bullshit
(“Nas is coming..”)
better sit back, and watch what happens
(“Nas is coming..”)

[Nas]
The Golden Child chop that ass up, you was holdin out
Let the streets be the court – and corners hold the trial
Fatal not fictitious
I rock the cable 86 ??, foreign cars young with crazy bitches
Mad smoke makes me able to quote
Solicitin, ill editions of that Murder I WRote
A provocative plan, can bring a knot to my hand
As the pyramids that stand on top of the sand
In the heat of the moment, like Farrakhan said, we need atonement
Bulletproof glass, S-classes, chrome kitted up
Cali ?? lit it up
I didn’t get touched checking my nuts, I stood up and lit a Dutch
Clutchin gats quick to bust
But knowin how these niggaz tattle
I sneak move get the drop, one shot, without the gun battle
So when you run the lead travel
I come through it’s taboo
Ninety-six ways made to clap you

Chorus: *unknown singers*

Nas is comin, Nas is comin
Nas is comin.. (Nasty Nas is comin) Nas is comin
Nas is comin, Nas is comin
Nas is comin.. (Nasty Nas is comin) Nas is comin

[Nas]
In the black limo, Jack Daniels through the cracked window
I spot the fake, red dot his face, like a Hindu
Snatched the symbol, tied his hands too
Make examples, substantial amounts you owe, to the fam
Crew, Firm affliation, paper chasin
Chips glossy, rich Pablo Escabano
Sophisticado, Blazin hollows like Saddles
Rap apostle, nacho cheese, I’m Castro
compared to these niggaz who swear to be real
but impostors to Hoffa, Nas plague kills
Countin bills to send to all my jail niggaz who fell
From New York to L.A., Q.B. to C.P.T. for G.P.
A hundred G cars, Garcia Vegas cigars
Kani shit, mad jiggy
The clout, murder material serial scratched out
My name’s passed out like it’s somethin venereal
but back in stereo

Chorus

[Nas]
From childbirth to hearses, flow like the Nile cover surface
I bit the fruit from the Serpent
Apocalyptic, get bent, stay splifted
Control the rap game you got it twisted
Dr. Dre way the ‘Bridge say, shake dice and kiss it
Sip Crist’, push the six with biscuit
Jeep full of chickens, pull up beside, have a listen y’all, Nas y’all
Fly gangsta, wavy hair teeth chipped in
My shit bump, in the courtroom drunk, links truck
rocky bracelet, cognac kernel never chase it
Rap hero, black DeNiro
Federal Bureau, tapped my line and got zero
Rap pro, diamond roll, hustlin low –
pro-file, white gold style, rakin bloody dough by

(“Nas is . . .” -Nas) 7x

[Nas]
Freedom or jail, clips inserted, a baby’s bein born
Same time my man is murdered, the beginning and end
As far as rap go, it’s only natural, I explain
My plateau, and also, what defines my name
First it was Nasty, but times have changed
Ask me now, I’m the artist, but hardcore, my science for pain
I spent time in the game, kept my mind on fame
Saw fiends shoot up, and do lines of cocaine
Saw my close friends shot, flatline am I sane?
That depends, carry Mac-10’s to practice my aim
On rooftops, tape cd covers to trees
Line the barrel up with your weak picture then squeeze
Street scriptures for lost souls, in the crossroads
To the corner thugs hustlin for cars that cost dough
To the big dogs livin large, takin it light
Pushin big toys, gettin nice, enjoyin your life
is what you make it, suicide, few try to take it
Belt tied around they neck in jail cells naked
Heaven and hell, rap legend, presence is felt
And of course N – A – S are the letters that spell . . .
NAS, NAS

Chorus: scratching by DJ Premier (2X)

“Nas is like life or death.. I’m a rebel.. ”
“My poetry’s deep, I never fell..”
“Nas is like.. half man half amazing..”
“No doubt..”

[Nas]
“Nas is like..” Earth Wind & Fire, rims and tires
Bulletproof glass, inside is the realest driver
Planets in orbit, line em up with the stars
Tarot cards, you can see the pharaoh Nas
“Nas is like..” Iron Mike, messiah type
Before the Christ, after the death
The last one left, let my cash invest in stock
Came a along way from blastin, techs on blocks
Went from Seiko to Rolex, ownin acres
From the projects with no chips, to large cake dough
Dimes, givin fellatio, siete zeros
Bet my nine spit for the pesos
But what’s it all worth, can’t take it when you under this Earth
Rich men died and tried, but none of it worked
They just rob your grave, I’d rather be alive and paid
Before my number’s called, history’s made
Some’ll fall, but I rise, thug or die
Makin choices, that determine my future under the sky
To rob steal or kill, I’m wondering why
It’s a dirty game, is any man worthy of fame?
Much to success to ya, even if you wish me the opposite
Sooner or later we’ll all see who the prophet is

Chorus

[Nas]
“Nas is like..” Sex to a nympho, but nothin sweet
I’m like beef, bustin heat through your windows
I’m like a street sweeper, greenleaf reaper
Like Greeks in Egypt, learnin somethin deep from they teachers
I’m like crime, like your nine, your man you would die for
Always got you, I’m like Pop Duke you would cry for
I’m like a whole lot of loot, I’m like crisp money
Corporate accounts from a rich company
I’m like ecstasy for ladies, I’m like all races
combined in one man; like the ’99 summer jam
Bulletproof Hummer man
I’m like being locked down around new faces, and none of em fam’
I’m the feelin of a millionaire spendin a hundred grand
I’m a poor man’s dream, a thug poet
Live it, and I write down and I watch it blow up
Y’all know what I’m like, y’all play it your system every night
Now..

Chorus

They don’t know what they like so much about it
They just go for any shiny old bauble, and nobody sparkles like you
But I can’t imagine it in better terms
Then naked, half-awake, about to shave and go to work

And I’m starting to think it could happen to me like it did to you
And I’m starting to actually feel it seep through the slick divide now
I don’t crack the door too far for anyone who’s pushing too hard on me

They don’t know what they like so much about it
Maybe it goes on the other side of the hallway
The writing’s so small from here
But I can’t imagine it in better terms
Then naked, half-awake, about to shave and go to work

I won’t decorate my live (x 6)

CHORUS
Nashville Cats, play clean as country water
Nashville Cats, play wild as mountain dew
Nashville Cats, been playin’ since they’s babies
Nashville Cats, get work before they’re two

Well, there’s thirteen hundred and fifty two
Guitar pickers in Nashville
And they can pick more notes than the number of ants
On a Tennessee anthill
Yeah, there’s thirteen hundred and fifty two
Guitar cases in Nashville
And any one that unpacks ‘is guitar could play
Twice as better than I will

Yeah, I was just thirteen, you might say I was a
Musical proverbial knee-high
When I heard a couple new-sounding tunes on the tubes
And they blasted me sky-high
And the record man said every one is a Yellow Sun
Record from Nashville
And up North there ain’t nobody buys them
And I said, “But I will”

And it was
CHORUS

Well, there’s sixteen thousand eight hundred ‘n’ twenty one
Mothers from Nashville
All their friends play music, and they ain’t uptight
If one of the kids will
Because it’s custom made for any mother’s son
To be a guitar picker in Nashville
And I sure am glad I got a chance to say a word about
The music and the mothers from Nashville

CHORUS


SPOKEN: Kick it