Released: July 18, 2000

Songwriter: Common J Dilla Bobby Caldwell Norman Harris Bruce Malament

Producer: J Dilla

[Produced by J Dilla]

[Intro]
Yeah, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-d-doo, diggy-doo, yo

[Hook]
There are times
When you'll need someone
I will be by your side
There is a light that shines
Special for you and me

[Verse 1]
I never knew a luh, luh-luh, a love like this
Gotta be somethin' for me to write this
Queen, I ain't seen you in a minute
Wrote this letter, and finally decide to send it
Signed, sealed, delivered, for us to grow together
Love has no limit, let's spend it slow forever
I know your heart is weathered by what studs did to you
I ain't gon' assault them, ‘cause I probably did it too
Because of you, feelings I handle with care
Some niggas recognize the light
But they can't handle the glare
You know I ain't the type to walk around with matchin' shirts
If relationship is effort I will match your work
I want to be the one to make you happiest
And hurt you the most
They say the end is near, it's important that we close
To the most high
Regardless of what happen, on Him let's rely

[Hook]
There are times
When you'll need someone
I will be by your side
There is a light that shines
Special for you and me

[Verse 2]
It's important we communicate
And tune the fate of this union to the right pitch
I never call you my bitch or even my boo
There's so much in a name and so much more in you
Few understand the union of woman and man
And sex and a tingle is where they assume that it land
But that's fly by night, for you in the sky I write
For in these cold Chi night's moon, you my light
If Heaven had a height, you would be that tall
Ghetto to coffee shop, through you I see that all
Let's stick to understandin' and we won't fall
For better or worse times, I hope to me you call
So I pray every day more than anything
Friends we'll stay as we begin to lay
This foundation for a family, love ain't simple
Why can't it be anything worth havin' you work at annually?
Granted we known each other for some time
It don't take a whole day to recognize sunshine

[Hook]
There are times
When you'll need someone
I will be by your side, oh, darling
There is a light that shines
Special for you and me

[Verse 3]
It's kind of fresh you listen to more than hip-hop
And I can catch you in the mix from beauty to thrift shop
Plus you shit pop when it's time to
Thinkin' you fresh, suggestin' beats I should rhyme to
At times when I'm lost I try to find you
You know to give me space when it's time to
My heart's dictionary defines you, it's love and happiness
Truthfully it's hard tryin' to practice abstinence
The time we committed love, it was real good
Had to be for me to arrive and it still feel good
I know the sex ain't gon' keep you
But as my equal, it's how I must treat you
As my reflection in light I'ma lead you
And whatever's right I'ma feed you
Digga-da, digga-da, digga-da, digga-digga-da-da
Yo, I tell you the rest when I see you; peace!

[Hook]
There are times
When you'll need someone
I will be by your side
There is a light that shines
Special for you and me

[Outro]
I'll take my chances
Before they pass
Pass me by, oh, darling
You need to look at the other side
You'll agree

Common

Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. (born March 13, 1972), better known by his stage name Common (previously Common Sense), is a Grammy and Oscar-winning rapper and actor from Chicago, Illinois. Common’s inspired mix of poetic flow and hip-hop soul has helped him earn his status as one of the most respected rappers in the game.

After being a ball boy for his hometown Chicago Bulls as a teen and attending Florida A&M University for business administration, Common Sense kicked in and he left school to become a rapper. He gained national attention after being featured in the Unsigned Hype column of The Source magazine in 1991. He released his debut album Can I Borrow a Dollar? through Relativity Records in 1992, followed by his breakthrough second album Resurrection in 1994, which features his hip-hop classic single “I Used To Love H.E.R.”

As his career began to take off, he was sued by the music group Common Sense over the name, leading Common to drop the “Sense” and allude to the change in the title of his third album, One Day It’ll All Make Sense (1997). He has released several critically acclaimed albums, including Like Water For Chocolate (2000), which features his J Dilla-produced hit single “The Light”, and Be (2005), which was released under fellow Chicago musician Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music imprint. He also joined musicians Karriem Riggins and Robert Glasper to form the group August Greene, and the trio released their self-titled album in 2018.