Songwriter: Paula Cole
Producer: Paula Cole
[Intro]
I wanna be somebody
I wanna make a difference
[Verse 1]
Little boy caught in a drive-by
Witnessed the killer who made his daddy die
And 'cause he identified and signed the dotted line
He could feel it in his stomach, he signed away his life
Little boy who once was the leader of his class
The little source of joy, always neatly dressed
Now would hang his head and be left crying at his desk
Was found with his mother, lying in her lap
With two bullets in his chest
[Pre-Chorus]
And, oh my God, what is this madness?
I will not let it kill my gladness
And, oh my God, what is this madness?
My joy inside will send this message
[Chorus]
I wanna be somebody
I wanna make a difference
For we all are children of the Mother
I wanna be somebody
I wanna make a difference
For we all are children of the Father
[Verse 2]
Outspoken man, leading sisters and brothers
Picked himself up from hustling, drugs and gutters
Doing time on the inside, he found a higher power
Now, back with a mission to help us help each other
Respected from bourgeoisie to homeless in the street
From universities, Africa, the Middle East
And through the threats of death he spoke truth and set men free
But the power of the truth made enemies of the weak
He was killed by his own people
[Pre-Chorus]
And, oh my God, what is this madness?
I will not let it kill my gladness
And, oh my God, what is this madness?
My joy inside will send this message
[Chorus]
I wanna be somebody
I wanna make a difference
For we all are children of the Mother
I wanna be somebody
I wanna make a difference
For we all are children
[Bridge]
Ignite this fire inside, this light that is the truth
Shake off the system's chains, no longer be their fool
In the face of brutality, show the other cheek
Trigger-happy policing will never kill our dignity
[Pre-Chorus]
And, oh my God, what is this madness?
I will not let it kill my gladness
And, oh my God, what is this madness?
My joy inside will send this message
[Chorus - Instrumental]
[Post-Chorus]
Lift up your heart and see
Open your heart and see
Open your heart and see
Lift up your voice and sing
Lift up your voice and sing
Lift up your voice and sing (Yeah, yeah)
[Chorus]
I wanna be somebody (Lift up your heart and see)
I wanna make a difference (Open your heart and see)
For we all are children of the Mother (Open your heart and see)
I wanna be somebody (Lift up your voice and sing)
I wanna make a difference (Lift up your voice and sing)
For we all are children of the Father (Lift up your voice and sing)
I wanna be somebody
I wanna make a difference
[Verse 1]
Little boy caught in a drive-by
Witnessed the killer who made his daddy die
And 'cause he identified and signed the dotted line
He could feel it in his stomach, he signed away his life
Little boy who once was the leader of his class
The little source of joy, always neatly dressed
Now would hang his head and be left crying at his desk
Was found with his mother, lying in her lap
With two bullets in his chest
[Pre-Chorus]
And, oh my God, what is this madness?
I will not let it kill my gladness
And, oh my God, what is this madness?
My joy inside will send this message
[Chorus]
I wanna be somebody
I wanna make a difference
For we all are children of the Mother
I wanna be somebody
I wanna make a difference
For we all are children of the Father
[Verse 2]
Outspoken man, leading sisters and brothers
Picked himself up from hustling, drugs and gutters
Doing time on the inside, he found a higher power
Now, back with a mission to help us help each other
Respected from bourgeoisie to homeless in the street
From universities, Africa, the Middle East
And through the threats of death he spoke truth and set men free
But the power of the truth made enemies of the weak
He was killed by his own people
[Pre-Chorus]
And, oh my God, what is this madness?
I will not let it kill my gladness
And, oh my God, what is this madness?
My joy inside will send this message
[Chorus]
I wanna be somebody
I wanna make a difference
For we all are children of the Mother
I wanna be somebody
I wanna make a difference
For we all are children
[Bridge]
Ignite this fire inside, this light that is the truth
Shake off the system's chains, no longer be their fool
In the face of brutality, show the other cheek
Trigger-happy policing will never kill our dignity
[Pre-Chorus]
And, oh my God, what is this madness?
I will not let it kill my gladness
And, oh my God, what is this madness?
My joy inside will send this message
[Chorus - Instrumental]
[Post-Chorus]
Lift up your heart and see
Open your heart and see
Open your heart and see
Lift up your voice and sing
Lift up your voice and sing
Lift up your voice and sing (Yeah, yeah)
[Chorus]
I wanna be somebody (Lift up your heart and see)
I wanna make a difference (Open your heart and see)
For we all are children of the Mother (Open your heart and see)
I wanna be somebody (Lift up your voice and sing)
I wanna make a difference (Lift up your voice and sing)
For we all are children of the Father (Lift up your voice and sing)
more tracks from the album
From the albums
- Amen (1999)
- Whateverturnsuon Vol. 4 (2000)
Paula Cole popular songs
- I Don’t Want to Wait
- Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?
- I Am So Ordinary
- Lovelight
- Where Have All the Cowboys Gone? (edit)
- God Bless The Child
- Me - remastered
- Hush, hush, hush. - remastered
- Carmen
- Mississippi
- Why Don’t You Go?
- Garden of Eden
- Be Somebody
- Lonelytown
- I Wanna Kiss You
- The Ladder
- Amen
- P.R.E.N.U.P.
- God Is Watching
- Me
- 14
- Throwing Stones
- Eloise
- Oh John