[Intro: Nina Simone & Common]
Baby, you understand me now
If sometimes you see that I'm mad
No one can always be an angel
When everything goes wrong you see some bad
Well I'm just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh, Lord, please, don't let me be misunderstood
(Yeah, uh)
Misunderstood
(We do this for the people that walk that path)
Misunderstood
(Tryna get to their dream, yeah, uh)
Oh
[Verse 1: Common]
He stood on the corner with the rest of them
Though he knew that this corner wasn't the best of him
Hard streets and a life that crested him
Dirt police domestic beefs that's festerin'
He knew the President wadn't addressin' him
Though dead presidents was undressin' him
Two kids from hot sex no protection and
People don't see how AIDS is affectin' 'em
It get hard to get the get the God question in
Can't find a job so you robbin' and hustlin'
He killed marks and sold dope for cousin' 'em
Can't believe they would be the ones buckin' him
He on the ground he could feel God touchin' him
He heard the sound of his moms sayin' trust in him
At Heaven's gate saying, "Lord, please, let me in
Or send me back to tell my people to be better men"
[Chorus: Nina Simone & Common]
Misunderstood (Cause we are)
Misunderstood
Misunderstood
Don't let me be misunderstood (Uh, yeah)
I'm just human, oh
[Verse 2: Common]
She danced and she danced, she danced for them
Her body move but her mind was mannequin
Thinkin', "I don't know where they hands have been"
Relationships with men have been so damagin'
She thought back to when she was at Howard and
Dreams of doing scenes with Terrence Howard and
Broadway plays and dancin' with Alv and them
The ones that make it always ain't the talented
Some dreams get lost never to be found again
At first strippin' seemed so empowering
Most every girl wanna do it now and then
But bein' meat every day is devourin'
Cats puttin' paper where she put powder and
Life would break her, now she powdering
She was high when she fell down and then
Crowd surrounding and, heart was pounding and
She fell into a deep sleep the siren sounded and
Seen bright lights in the midst of clouds and then
Talked to God, feeling like His child again
Said, "Lord, let me live so I can make you proud again"
[Chorus: Nina Simone & Common]
Misunderstood (Cause we are)
Misunderstood
Misunderstood
Don't let me be misunderstood
I'm just human
[Outro: Bilal & Nina Simone]
The life we lead
Will always lead us
And we pray that he
Will never leave us
It's the price we pay
I guess that's the reason
Why my grandma sang
"We all need Jesus"
The life we lead
Will always lead us
And we pray that he
Will never leave us
It's the price we pay
I guess that's the reason
Why my grandma sang
"We all need Jesus"
Misunderstood
Don't— don't let me be
Misunderstood
Don't—
Misunderstood
Don't— don't let me be
Misunderstood
Don't—
I'm just human