Released: February 11, 1997
Songwriter: ?uestlove James Poyser Richard Nichols The Roots Erykah Badu
Producer: Richard Nichols The Roots
[Chorus]
Whatcha gonna do when they come for you
Work ain't honest but it pays the bills
What we gonna do when they come for you
Gave me the life that I came to live
[Verse 1]
Do I really
Want my baby
Brother tell me what to do
I know you got to get your hustle on
So I pray
I understand the game, sometimes
And I love you strong, but
[Chorus]
What you gonna do when they come for you
Work ain't honest but it pays the bills (Yes, it does)
What we gonna do when they come for you
God I can't stand life withoutcha
[Verse 2]
Now, me and baby got this situation
See, brother got this complex occupation
And it ain't that he don't have education
'Cause I was right there at his graduation
Now, I ain't sayin' that this life don't work
But, it's me and baby that he hurts
'Cause I tell him right
He thinks I'm wrong
But I love him strong
He gave me the life that I came to live
Gave me the song that I came to give
Pressure on me
But the seed had grown
I can't make it on my own
Summer came around and the flowers bloomed
He became the sun
I became the moon
Precious gifts that we both received
Or could this be make believe
[Chorus]
Whatcha gonna do when they come for you
Work ain't honest but it pays the bills
(Work ain't honest but it pays the bills)
What we gonna do when they come for you
Gave me the life that I came to live
Yes, you did
[Verse 3]
Don't worry baby
I know there's confusion
God's gonna see us through (yeah)
Peace out to revolution
But we paid though
[Bridge]
Don't you worry, keep your balance
(What you gonna do, What you gonna do)
The work ain't honest but it pays the bills
(Yes it does)
Don't you worry, keep your balance
(Don't have to worry baby)
Gave me the life that I came to live
(Yes you did)
[Chorus]
Don't you worry, keep your balance
The work ain't honest but it pays the bills
The work ain't honest but it pays the bills
Don't you worry, keep your balance
You gave me the life that I came to live
[Post-Chorus]
Gave me the song that I came to give
Pressure on me
But the seed had grown
I can't make it on my own
Summer came around and the flowers bloomed
He became the sun, I became the moon
Precious gifts that we both received
Or could this be make believe
Oh yeah
Badu is with you baby
Hmmm
We gon' make it, yeah
Me, you and the baby
You gonna do
Whatcha you gonna do
Go, yeah, baby, baby
Oh go on
See I ain't tryin' to bind your life
But I want you to do what's right
And yeah
I'm your wife
Hmmm
Peace out to revolution
I know there's confusion
You gonna what you gotta do now
Whatcha gonna do when they come for you
Work ain't honest but it pays the bills
What we gonna do when they come for you
Gave me the life that I came to live
[Verse 1]
Do I really
Want my baby
Brother tell me what to do
I know you got to get your hustle on
So I pray
I understand the game, sometimes
And I love you strong, but
[Chorus]
What you gonna do when they come for you
Work ain't honest but it pays the bills (Yes, it does)
What we gonna do when they come for you
God I can't stand life withoutcha
[Verse 2]
Now, me and baby got this situation
See, brother got this complex occupation
And it ain't that he don't have education
'Cause I was right there at his graduation
Now, I ain't sayin' that this life don't work
But, it's me and baby that he hurts
'Cause I tell him right
He thinks I'm wrong
But I love him strong
He gave me the life that I came to live
Gave me the song that I came to give
Pressure on me
But the seed had grown
I can't make it on my own
Summer came around and the flowers bloomed
He became the sun
I became the moon
Precious gifts that we both received
Or could this be make believe
[Chorus]
Whatcha gonna do when they come for you
Work ain't honest but it pays the bills
(Work ain't honest but it pays the bills)
What we gonna do when they come for you
Gave me the life that I came to live
Yes, you did
[Verse 3]
Don't worry baby
I know there's confusion
God's gonna see us through (yeah)
Peace out to revolution
But we paid though
[Bridge]
Don't you worry, keep your balance
(What you gonna do, What you gonna do)
The work ain't honest but it pays the bills
(Yes it does)
Don't you worry, keep your balance
(Don't have to worry baby)
Gave me the life that I came to live
(Yes you did)
[Chorus]
Don't you worry, keep your balance
The work ain't honest but it pays the bills
The work ain't honest but it pays the bills
Don't you worry, keep your balance
You gave me the life that I came to live
[Post-Chorus]
Gave me the song that I came to give
Pressure on me
But the seed had grown
I can't make it on my own
Summer came around and the flowers bloomed
He became the sun, I became the moon
Precious gifts that we both received
Or could this be make believe
Oh yeah
Badu is with you baby
Hmmm
We gon' make it, yeah
Me, you and the baby
You gonna do
Whatcha you gonna do
Go, yeah, baby, baby
Oh go on
See I ain't tryin' to bind your life
But I want you to do what's right
And yeah
I'm your wife
Hmmm
Peace out to revolution
I know there's confusion
You gonna what you gotta do now
more tracks from the album
Baduizm
- Certainly
- Afro (Freestyle Skit)
- A Child with the Blues
- Sometimes (Mix #9)
- Certainly (Flipped It)
- Appletree (Live @ the Jazz Cafe)
- On & On (Da Boom Squad Mix)
- Appletree (2B3 Summer Vibes Mix)
- On & On (Jazz Mix)
- Sometimes
- Otherside of the Game
- Drama
- Appletree
- 4 Leaf Clover
- No Love
- Next Lifetime
- Rimshot (Outro)
- On & On
- Rimshot (Intro)
- Next Lifetime (Linslee Remix)
From the album
- Baduizm (1997)
Erykah Badu popular songs
- On & On
- Hello
- Tyrone
- Bag Lady
- Next Lifetime
- Love of My Life (An Ode To Hip Hop)
- Didn’t Cha Know
- Appletree
- Window Seat
- Otherside of the Game
- Green Eyes
- The Healer
- Phone Down
- Out My Mind, Just in Time
- ...& On
- Cel U Lar Device
- What’s Yo Phone Number / Telephone
- In Love with You
- Certainly
- Rimshot (Intro)
- Orange Moon
- I Been Goin’ Thru It All
- Soldier
- 4 Leaf Clover