Released: November 12, 2002
Songwriter: JAY-Z Pharrell Williams Chad Hugo
Producer: The Neptunes
[Intro: Jay-Z]
This here's a ballad for all the fallen soldiers (this ain't music)
I'm 'bout to show you how a hustlers life (this is life man)
And a soldier's life, parallel
And the one thing they got in common is a mother's pain
(Forget about me for a second)
Picture split screen (forget musicians)
On one side we got a hustler getting ready for the block (human beings)
Other side you got the soldier (people) getting ready for boot camp (it's life)
They're both at war
Stay with us
[Chorus: Marc Dorsey]
Did you ever notice, before you think, life goes fast
So don't you worry, about what you see, it will pass
[Verse 1: Jay-Z]
You lost him mama, the war's calling him
Feel it's his duty to fall in line with all of them
He's a soldier
Rose through the ranks as the head of your household
Now its time to provide bank, like he's supposed ta
Now just remember why he's gone 'til November
It's part of him growing up
His shirts soaks up your tears as he holds ya
Your heart beating so fast speeding his pulse up
Yeah I know it sucks, life ain't all rosebuds
A couple of speed bumps, you gotta take your lumps
Off to boot camp, the worlds facing terror
Bin Laden been happening in Manhattan
Crack was anthrax back then, back when
Police was Al'Qaeda to black men
While I was out there hustling, sinning with no religion
He was off to war killing for a living
[Chorus: Marc Dorsey]
Did you ever notice, before you think, life goes fast
So don't you worry, about what you see, it will pass
[Verse 2: Jay-Z]
Days turn to nights, nights turn to years
Years turn to, "How the fuck we make it in here?"
My barracks average couple fights a day
Get you locked in a hole won't see the light of day
And I feel like I'm just writing my life away
I never thought shit could end up quite this way
There's a war going on outside no man is safe from
I'm here for the good fight only the fakes run
I'm here for the purple heart, if I can't take one
For my team or my siblings whats my reason for living?
I love my niggas more than anything else
This war's about my family, me needing the wealth
You don't understand how useless as men we felt
'Til you become a 5 star general
Shout out to my niggas that's locked in jail
P.O.W.'s that's still in the war for real, for real
[Chorus: Marc Dorsey]
Did you ever notice, before you think, life goes fast
So don't you worry, about what you see, it will pass
[Bridge: Pharrell Williams & Jay-Z (Marc Dorsey)]
Your baby boy is getting grown
So your baby boy is moving on
I've gotta chase it
I'm gon' chase it
And I'm gon' make it, gon' make it
Yeah, your baby boy is getting grown
So your baby boy is moving on
I'm gonna make it, I'm gon' make it
Even if I gotta chase it
You gotta take it, wooo, yeah
[Verse 3: Jay-Z]
Mama say prayer your son's becoming a man
This wars taxing to 'em like Uncle Sam
He ain't gon' always make the right choice, understand
Every choice that he make he makes it for his fam
It's death before dishonor
And if he's gone you should honor his memory
Don't cry we all gonna die eventually
But if he's locked in the penitentiary send him some energy
They all winners to me, what's up Emory
[Chorus: Marc Dorsey]
Did you ever notice, before you think, life goes fast
So don't you worry, about what you see, it will pass
This here's a ballad for all the fallen soldiers (this ain't music)
I'm 'bout to show you how a hustlers life (this is life man)
And a soldier's life, parallel
And the one thing they got in common is a mother's pain
(Forget about me for a second)
Picture split screen (forget musicians)
On one side we got a hustler getting ready for the block (human beings)
Other side you got the soldier (people) getting ready for boot camp (it's life)
They're both at war
Stay with us
[Chorus: Marc Dorsey]
Did you ever notice, before you think, life goes fast
So don't you worry, about what you see, it will pass
[Verse 1: Jay-Z]
You lost him mama, the war's calling him
Feel it's his duty to fall in line with all of them
He's a soldier
Rose through the ranks as the head of your household
Now its time to provide bank, like he's supposed ta
Now just remember why he's gone 'til November
It's part of him growing up
His shirts soaks up your tears as he holds ya
Your heart beating so fast speeding his pulse up
Yeah I know it sucks, life ain't all rosebuds
A couple of speed bumps, you gotta take your lumps
Off to boot camp, the worlds facing terror
Bin Laden been happening in Manhattan
Crack was anthrax back then, back when
Police was Al'Qaeda to black men
While I was out there hustling, sinning with no religion
He was off to war killing for a living
[Chorus: Marc Dorsey]
Did you ever notice, before you think, life goes fast
So don't you worry, about what you see, it will pass
[Verse 2: Jay-Z]
Days turn to nights, nights turn to years
Years turn to, "How the fuck we make it in here?"
My barracks average couple fights a day
Get you locked in a hole won't see the light of day
And I feel like I'm just writing my life away
I never thought shit could end up quite this way
There's a war going on outside no man is safe from
I'm here for the good fight only the fakes run
I'm here for the purple heart, if I can't take one
For my team or my siblings whats my reason for living?
I love my niggas more than anything else
This war's about my family, me needing the wealth
You don't understand how useless as men we felt
'Til you become a 5 star general
Shout out to my niggas that's locked in jail
P.O.W.'s that's still in the war for real, for real
[Chorus: Marc Dorsey]
Did you ever notice, before you think, life goes fast
So don't you worry, about what you see, it will pass
[Bridge: Pharrell Williams & Jay-Z (Marc Dorsey)]
Your baby boy is getting grown
So your baby boy is moving on
I've gotta chase it
I'm gon' chase it
And I'm gon' make it, gon' make it
Yeah, your baby boy is getting grown
So your baby boy is moving on
I'm gonna make it, I'm gon' make it
Even if I gotta chase it
You gotta take it, wooo, yeah
[Verse 3: Jay-Z]
Mama say prayer your son's becoming a man
This wars taxing to 'em like Uncle Sam
He ain't gon' always make the right choice, understand
Every choice that he make he makes it for his fam
It's death before dishonor
And if he's gone you should honor his memory
Don't cry we all gonna die eventually
But if he's locked in the penitentiary send him some energy
They all winners to me, what's up Emory
[Chorus: Marc Dorsey]
Did you ever notice, before you think, life goes fast
So don't you worry, about what you see, it will pass
more tracks from the album
The Blueprint²: The Gift & the Curse
- The Watcher 2
- What They Gonna Do
- Diamond Is Forever
- Guns & Roses
- Nigga Please
- Show You How
- Some How Some Way
- Poppin’ Tags
- Some People Hate
- All Around the World
- U Don’t Know (Remix)
- Blueprint²
- A Dream
- A Ballad for the Fallen Soldier
- Excuse Me Miss
- Meet the Parents
- The Bounce
- Hovi Baby
- ’03 Bonnie & Clyde
- Fuck All Nite
- I Did It My Way
- As One
- 2 Many Hoes
- Bitches & Sisters
- What They Gonna Do Part II
From the album
JAY-Z popular songs
- Holy Grail
- Part II (On the Run)
- Empire State of Mind
- The Story of O.J.
- 4:44
- Tom Ford
- FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt
- 99 Problems
- Oceans
- Renegade
- Kill Jay Z
- Picasso Baby
- Takeover
- Family Feud
- Open Letter
- Run This Town
- Public Service Announcement
- Song Cry
- Smile
- Big Pimpin’
- Heaven
- Bam
- Beach Is Better (Interlude)
- ’03 Bonnie & Clyde