Released: October 24, 2016

Songwriter: Pharrell Williams

Producer: Pharrell Williams

[Verse 1]
Summertime in Virginia was a oven (oven)
All the kids eating ice cream with their cousins (cousins)
I was studyin' while you was playing the dozens (dozens)
Don't act like you was there when you wasn't

[Refrain 1]
Runnin' from the man (man) runnin' from the badge (badge)
Don't act like you was there when you wasn't
Runnin' toward our plans (plans) in the judge's hands (hands)
Don't act like you was there when you wasn't

[Pre-Chorus]
I know they say you crawl 'fore you walk
But in my mind I already jog
If I stand still I cannot get far
They want the Moon, I'm on Mars

[Chorus]
Sometime my mind dives deep
When I'm runnin'
I don't want no free ride
I'm just sick and tired of runnin'
Some nights I cry
Cause I can see the day comin'
Together we'll fight
Oh, but no more runnin'

[Verse 2]
You and I are not different from each other (other)
Shut our eyes, when we slumber I see numbers (numbers)
Black and white, we're computers, I ain't colored (colored)
Don't act like you was there when you wasn't

[Refrain 2]
From runnin' to exams (exams) to jobs for a man (man)
Don't act like you was there when you wasn't
In the law of the land (land) the women were often banned (banned)
Don't act like you was there when you wasn't

[Pre-Chorus]
I know they say you crawl 'fore you walk
But in my mind I already jog
If I stand still I cannot get far
They want the Moon, I'm on Mars

[Chorus]
Sometime my mind dives deep
When I'm runnin'
I don't want no free ride
I'm just sick and tired of runnin'
Some nights I cry
Cause I can see the day comin'
Together we fight
Oh, but no more runnin'

[Pre-Chorus]
I know they say you crawl 'fore you walk
But in my mind I already jog
If I stand still I cannot get far
They want the Moon, I'm on Mars

[Chorus]
Sometime my mind dives deep
When I'm runnin'
I don't want no free ride
I'm just sick and tired of runnin'
Some nights I cry
Cause I can see the day comin'
Together we fight
Oh, but no more runnin'

Pharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams (born April 5, 1973) is a record producer, singer-songwriter, rapper, and fashion designer from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Pharrell and his production partner Chad Hugo formed the production duo The Neptunes and they have produced a number of hip-hop, R&B, and pop hits for artists such as JAY-Z, Usher, Gwen Stefani, and many more. He is also the lead vocalist and drummer of rap/rock band N.E.R.D, which he formed with Hugo and Shay Haley.

After singing on a few Neptunes-produced tracks, Pharrell released his first solo single, “Frontin'”, in 2003. He released his debut solo album, In My Mind, in 2006, and his second album G I R L in 2014, which featured the #1 pop single “Happy”.

Pharrell has received a number of awards, including Billboard Music Awards and three Grammy Awards for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical (2004 with The Neptunes, 2014, 2019), as well as receiving an Oscar nomination in 2014 in the Best Original Song category for “Happy” from the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack. He also was a coach on the singing competition show The Voice in 2014.