Released: November 12, 2010
Songwriter: J. Cole
Producer: J. Cole
[Intro]
Yeah, farewell
Hey, farewell
All my niggas farewell
Fayettenam
[Verse 1]
Look, some niggas let their dirt out some just keep it all in ‘em
So when a man dies all his secrets go with him
And fade; a part of history no longer known
Done did a lot of dirt I’ll bury with me when I’m gone
When my story’s told, how will they tell it?
Will they say I was a giver or remember I was selfish?
Will they say I was a sinner or pretend I was a saint?
Will I go down as a winner, what's the picture they gon' paint?
Wouldn’t say that I’m a quitter, that's one thing I know I ain't
Will they tarnish, will they taint? Glorify me, over-think?
Say they know me, say I’m great? Say I’m phoney, I was fake?
Say the things about me that they never told me to my face?
I was loved I was hated, just a nigga with a dream
I’m a liar, I was honest, I was all of these things
When I’m gone let em talk, they discussing who I am
When they bury me just know I wasn't nothing but a man
Wasn’t nothin’ but a man
[Hook]
This for them niggas climbin’ heaven's stairwell
Yeah, hey farewell
Yeh, hey farewell
This for niggas climbin’ heaven's stairwell
I pray you farewell
I bid you farewell
Yeah, hey, farewell
Yeah, yeah
[Verse 2]
If I should die Lord this here is my will
Reincarnate a nigga send me right back to the Ville
Let me relive my younger days just once again
Reenact my memories from every friend to every sin
Keeping demons buried in my closet
But yet I put in work like a deposit on my bank account
My eyes lit while I think about my childhood now I'm blanking out
Those were truly my best days
The only thing I had to stress was how the hell to get laid
Gradually turn into me stressin’ how the hell to get paid
Been making songs so long, now how the hell they get played
Ok, I’m blowing up quickly, I guess the flow is sickly
But yet I can’t forget my past and hope it won’t forget me
Got good grades but A's can’t stop strays so pray for me
Pour liquor for my niggas but hey, don’t wait for me
Cause I’m trying to cheat death, she out to bury my ass
You know the cliche “life's a bitch” well I’m gon marry that ass
And sign a pre-nup, think back to when we tore the skating rink up
Rapping and we scrapping, we got older hit the teen club
Gave mean mugs to niggas but we winked to all the girls
Then we went back to the crib thinking we had saw the world
No sir, came a long way from having momma chauffer
It's hard to think these hoes at some point were so pure
But now we play the game, when it's over send me back
I swear I’m not gon change a thing
I swear I’m not gon change a thing
[Hook]
This for niggas climbin’ heaven's stairwell
Yeah, hey farewell
Yeh, hey farewell
This for niggas climbin’ heaven's stairwell
I pray you farewell
I bid you farewell
Yeah, hey, farewell
Yeah, yeah
Yeah, farewell
Hey, farewell
All my niggas farewell
Fayettenam
[Verse 1]
Look, some niggas let their dirt out some just keep it all in ‘em
So when a man dies all his secrets go with him
And fade; a part of history no longer known
Done did a lot of dirt I’ll bury with me when I’m gone
When my story’s told, how will they tell it?
Will they say I was a giver or remember I was selfish?
Will they say I was a sinner or pretend I was a saint?
Will I go down as a winner, what's the picture they gon' paint?
Wouldn’t say that I’m a quitter, that's one thing I know I ain't
Will they tarnish, will they taint? Glorify me, over-think?
Say they know me, say I’m great? Say I’m phoney, I was fake?
Say the things about me that they never told me to my face?
I was loved I was hated, just a nigga with a dream
I’m a liar, I was honest, I was all of these things
When I’m gone let em talk, they discussing who I am
When they bury me just know I wasn't nothing but a man
Wasn’t nothin’ but a man
[Hook]
This for them niggas climbin’ heaven's stairwell
Yeah, hey farewell
Yeh, hey farewell
This for niggas climbin’ heaven's stairwell
I pray you farewell
I bid you farewell
Yeah, hey, farewell
Yeah, yeah
[Verse 2]
If I should die Lord this here is my will
Reincarnate a nigga send me right back to the Ville
Let me relive my younger days just once again
Reenact my memories from every friend to every sin
Keeping demons buried in my closet
But yet I put in work like a deposit on my bank account
My eyes lit while I think about my childhood now I'm blanking out
Those were truly my best days
The only thing I had to stress was how the hell to get laid
Gradually turn into me stressin’ how the hell to get paid
Been making songs so long, now how the hell they get played
Ok, I’m blowing up quickly, I guess the flow is sickly
But yet I can’t forget my past and hope it won’t forget me
Got good grades but A's can’t stop strays so pray for me
Pour liquor for my niggas but hey, don’t wait for me
Cause I’m trying to cheat death, she out to bury my ass
You know the cliche “life's a bitch” well I’m gon marry that ass
And sign a pre-nup, think back to when we tore the skating rink up
Rapping and we scrapping, we got older hit the teen club
Gave mean mugs to niggas but we winked to all the girls
Then we went back to the crib thinking we had saw the world
No sir, came a long way from having momma chauffer
It's hard to think these hoes at some point were so pure
But now we play the game, when it's over send me back
I swear I’m not gon change a thing
I swear I’m not gon change a thing
[Hook]
This for niggas climbin’ heaven's stairwell
Yeah, hey farewell
Yeh, hey farewell
This for niggas climbin’ heaven's stairwell
I pray you farewell
I bid you farewell
Yeah, hey, farewell
Yeah, yeah