my culture

MY CULTURE

I'm the sum total of my ancestors
I carry their DNA
We are representatives of a long line of people
And we carried them around everywhere
This long line of people
That goes back to the beginning of time
And when we meet, they meet other lines of people
And we say bring together the lines of me

When I look back over the years
At the things that brought tears to my eyes
Papa said we have to be wise to live long lives
Now I recognize what my father said before he dies
Vocalize things I've left unsaid
Left my spirit unfed for too long
I'm coming home to my family
Where I can be strong
Be who I planned to be
Within me, my ancestry
Givin' me continuity
Would it be remiss to continue in this way
Would you rather I quit
Come with the other shit
Making people's hips sway
Lip service I pay, but I'm nervous
I pray for all the mothers who get no sleep
Like a lifeline, I light lines 'cause my compassion is deep
For the people who fashioned me, my soul to keep
And this is who I happen to be
And if I don't see that I'm strong, then I won't be

This is what my Daddy told me
I wished he would hold me
A little more than he did
But he taught me my culture
And how to live positive
I never wanna shame
The blood in my veins and bring pain
To my sweet grandfather's face, in his resting place
I make haste to learn and not waste
Everything my forefathers earned in tears
For my culture

Fall back again
Crawl from the warm water

For my culture

Water to air
You're on your feet again
Your feet again

Hello Dad, remember me?
I'm the man you thought I'd never be
I'm the boy who you reduced to tears
Dad, I'd been lonely for 27 years
Yeah, that's right, my name's Rob
I'm the one who landed the pop stars job
I'm the one who you told, "Look, don't touch"
And the kid who wouldn't amount to much
I believe in the senses out of sound
I have always been too loud
Won't you help me drown it out?
I'm what I feel
And what I'm feeling is surreal
I'm a massive spinnin' wheel, always digging in my heels
Now I got the faith
Fall back again
Crawl from the warm water
Water to air
You're on your feet again
Your feet again

Ha, lace up your booty
Going back to the roots, continue my interlude
Feed freakin' for loot
And my spell's been to check what your future brings is now
And your forefathers further know how
But now, what happened to the world without the hatred
Use your head, if the needle is wise, be the thread
And weave ancestral wisdom, yours by best
Spreading the Lord's word over this broad Earth

This is what my Daddy told me
I wished he would hold me
A little more than he did
But he taught me my culture
And how to live positive
I never wanna shame
The blood in my veins and bring pain
To my sweet grandfather's face, in his resting place
I make haste to learn and not waste
Everything my forefathers earned in tears

For my culture

Fall back again
Crawl from the warm water
Water to air
You're on your feet again
Your feet again

For my culture

Fall back again
Crawl from the warm water
Water to air
You're on your feet again
Your feet again

For my culture.

One Giant Leap - project with Maxi Jazz (from "Faithless") & Robby Wiliams "My Culture", 2002