Released: December 18, 2001

Songwriter: JAY-Z

Producer: ?uestlove The Roots Just Blaze

[Intro: Jaguar Wright & Jay Z]
Ugh
Picture all the possibilities
Okay!
Picture all the possibilities
Oh! This is so soulful! Okay
Sounds like a love song
Sounds like a love song
Haha! Most incredible, baby
Yeah yeah
Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh
Ugh, ugh

[Hook 1: Jay-Z]
Ugh, I can't see 'em coming down my eyes
So I gotta make the song cry
I can't see 'em coming down my eyes
So I gotta make the song cry

[Verse 1: Jay-Z]
Good dude, I know you love me like cooked food
Even though you know I gotta move like a crook move
We was together on the block since free lunch
We should've been together having Four Seasons brunch
We used to use umbrellas to face the bad weather
Now we travel first class to change the forecast
Never in bunches, just me and you
I loved your point of view because you held no punches
Still, I left you for months on end
It's been months since I checked back in
I'm somewhere in a small town, locking the mall down
Woodgrain, four and change, Armor All'd down
I can understand why you want a divorce now
Though I can't let you know it, pride won't let me show it
Pretend to be heroic, that's just one to grow with
But deep inside, you know I'm so sick, right?

[Hook: Jay-Z]
I can't see it coming down my eyes
So I gotta make the song cry
I Can't see it coming down your eyes
Gotta make the song cry, uh-huh
I know, I see it coming down your eyes
But I gotta make the song cry
I can't see it coming down my eyes
So I gotta make the song cry

[Verse 2]
On repeat, the CD of BIG's "Me and My Chick"
Watching Bonnie and Clyde, pretending to be that sh—
Empty gun in your hand, saying, "Let me see that clip"
Shopping sprees, pull out that Visa quick
You know I got very bad credit, you helped me lease that whip
You helped me get the keys to that V-dot-6
We was so happy poor, but when we got rich
That's when our signals got crossed, and we got flipped
Or rather, mines, I don't know what made me leave that sh—
Made me speed that quick; let me see... that's it
It was the cheese, helping chickens get amnesia quick
I used to cut up they buddies, now, they saying they love me
Used to tell they friends I was ugly and wouldn't touch me
Then, I showed up in that dubbed out buggy
Then it got fuzzy, and they don't remember that
And I don't remember you, you, you, you

[Hook: Jay-Z]
Can't see it coming down my eyes
But I gotta make that song cry
I can't see it coming down my eyes
But I gotta make the song cry
Oh yeah, I see 'em coming down your eyes
But I gotta make the song cry
I can't see it coming down my eyes
But I gotta make the song cry

[Verse 3]
A face of stone, was shocked on the other end of the phone
Word back home that you got a special friend
So what was oh-so-special, then?
You have given away without getting at me
That's your fault! How many times you forgiven me?
How was I to know you was plain sick of me?
I know the way a nigga living was wack
But you don't get a nigga back like that!
Look, I'm a man with pride, you don't do sh— like that
You don't just pick up and leave and leave me sick like that
You don't throw away what we had just like that
I was flirting with them girls, I was gon' get right back
They say you can't turn a bad girl good
But once a good girl's gone bad, she's gone forever
I mourn forever
Man, I gotta live with the fact I did you wrong forever

[Hook: Jay-Z]
I can't see it coming down my eyes
So I gotta make the song cry
I can't see it coming down my eyes
So I gotta make the song cry
Oh yeah, I see it coming down your eyes
But I gotta make the song cry
I can't see it coming down my eyes
But I gotta make the song cry

[Interlude: Jay Z]
Let's break it down
This song right here is for real, for all the hustlers, right?
Had a girlfriend...
And, uh... he started off
Their whole relationship started off, you know...
He did what he had to do for them, you know what I mean?
But along the way, he got lost
Fast cars, fast money, you know the lifestyle
Trust me, he's right here
Alright
Do believe it, on the real son
Ugh, yeah

[Hook: Jay-Z & Jaguar Wright]
Can't see it coming down my eyes
But I gotta make the song cry
Can't see it coming down my eyes
But I gotta make this song cry
Oh yeah, I see 'em coming down your eyes
But I gotta make the song cry
I can't it coming down my eyes
But I gotta make the song cry

[Outro: Jay-Z & Jaguar Wright]
Cry (Ugh, ugh)
Oh, whoa, whoa (Ugh)
I said I love you (Ugh)
I said I needed you (Ugh)
Oh, oh, ooh
I got lost for a second, I ain't gonna lie
Oh!
I was in my own thoughts, for real

[Intro to Next Song: Jay-Z]
Alright let's get it all the way to ten, where my man Dame
Dame over there?
I know Dame over there somewhere
Where you at
You gotta stand up for this
We breaking the rules
Camera blocking smamera smocking
I gotta bring up one of the most hottest producers in the last two years he's been on fire, he's always been doing his thing but he's really been on fire. I wanna bring my man Pharrell up, come up Pharrell. I found my man Dame too. Pharrell you wanna help me out on this one?
This man right here is the producer behind the next joint, like 150 new ones on the radio right now
Yeah man you gotta dance, we gonna dance too
Let's go y'all

JAY-Z

Having sold over 100 million records worldwide, and holding the solo artist record of 14 Billboard 200 #1 albums, Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter is possibly the most talented, accomplished and respected rapper of all-time. He has released 13 studio albums and five collaborative albums over his 30-year career.

Three of his albums, Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint, and The Black Album, are considered landmarks in the genre, with all of them featured in Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Hov has won 21 Grammy Awards from sixty-four nominations, making him the 10th most awarded artist of all-time.

Legendary for never writing down his lyrics, JAY-Z’s flow is considered one of the greatest to grace the genre, his wordplay and metaphorical ability is unmatched, and his live shows push the envelope of what it means to be a hip hop artist. His MTV Unplugged appearance introduced the idea of having a full band (The Roots) backing up a hip hop artist at major concerts, and during his 2004 documentary Fade to Black he doubled down, selling out Madison Square Garden (in mere minutes) while featuring an enormous live band performance.