Lionel Richie

Released: June 23, 1998

Songwriter: A. Rucker Lionel Richie

Producer: Lionel Richie James Anthony Carmichael

[Verse 1]
Think about it
I don't understand what's going on
I'm trying to figure out the world around me
It seems we make the same mistakes over again
An I can't understand why
Tell me about it
Why do we walk in the footsteps of our ancestors
In a monotonous fashion
Recreating the same failures and crimes of passion
Help me understand our fascination with bloodshed and violence
What happened to the notion of the evil days being behind us
Are we too lost to find salvation or could it be
We don't want salvation to find us
Are we content with the changes that bind us

[Chorus]
We go on and on
To the rhythm
On and on
To the rhythm
We go on and on
To the rhythm
On and on

[Verse 2]
There's something else on my mind
Ain't it strange when we make change
We end up with dollars and no sense
Progress is a false pretense
From and Cain & Abel to any ghetto
Tiannemen Square to Soweto, apartheid to Jim Crowe
Are these problems incurable
We can charge stars invisible to the eye
But we can't find the solution for oppression or learn
If we can't live together we're all going to die

[Chorus]
We go on and on
To the rhythm
On and on
To the rhythm
We go on and on
To the rhythm
On and on

[Verse 3]
Hatred, racism, war, killing for sport
Got to change the way we look at each other
Abuse, rape, murder, neglecting the poor
Look at the pain we're going through
Selling our souls just to make a profit
(Respect yourselves my sisters and brothers)
Using addictions to deal with our problems
It's up to you
When we going to stop it
Generations come and generations go
Time is the rhythm to which we all flow
Help me to realize cause I don't understand
Why does every generation have to do
The same thing again and again

[Repeat Chorus]
We go on and on
To the rhythm
On and on
To the rhythm
We go on and on
To the rhythm
On and on

[Verse 4]
We're not destined to lose
It's about the paths we choose
How long before we get it
The value of which you get is measured in how much you're
Willing to sacrifice
Life's too short we can't waste a minute
So how much is it worth to you to save your life
And the lives of your children
How much must we go through
We have to change the words to the song before
We can truly enjoy the rhythm
It's up to you, It's up to you

[Chorus]
We go on and on
To the rhythm
On and on
To the rhythm
We go on and on
To the rhythm
On and on

[Bridge]
Life beats
360 degrees in a cycle to the rhythm
Time beats
Repeating things in a circular fashion to the rhythm

[Chorus]
Hearts beat
To the rhythm
Love beats
To the rhythm
What are we going to do about it [2x]
To the rhythm
Time we got ourselves together
To the rhythm
Cause we can't let hate beat to the rhythm
To the rhythm
Can't let lies beat
To the rhythm [2x]
Bloodshed no, no
To the rhythm
There's nothing new under the sun
Hold on to the good
To the rhythm

[Outro]
We're doing the same things over and over and over
Hold on to the good
'and over and over'
Stop the madness
'and over and over again

Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer and actor. Beginning in 1968, he was a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records. Richie made his solo debut in 1982 with the album Lionel Richie and the number-one hit “Truly”. He has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time. – Wikipedia

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