[Intro (Overlapped with Bridge): Jean Grae]

Ooh, that was wrong! Oh man. You told me stuff, and we gots to find a song for them all. It’s appreciation though. Yo, Dee, to start, play the original so I can get in the mood to kick these verses. Alright, oh, uh, yeah, yeah. I see you, love. I said, “All the time.” Does it ever puzzle you? Have you asked why? Nah. I know I do. I do, it’s true. I ain’t pretending, man. Aight, aight. Let’s get into it, for real, for real. Aight? One. Drop it, drop it

[Bridge 1 (Overlapped with Intro): Sample from The Stylistics - “Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)”]

You’re alone all the time

Does it ever puzzle you?

Have you asked why you seem

To fall in love? Out again

Do you ever really love?

Or just pretend?

Why fool yourself?

Don’t be afraid

To help yourself

It’s never too late, too late to stop...

[Bridge 2: Sample from Rodney Cee on Double Trouble - “Stoop Rap” with Scratches by Da Beatminerz] (x7)

Here’s a little story that must be told

[Verse 1: Jean Grae]

She grew up

Believing in passion and love, whose folks divorced and remarried

Very naïve, seen life and commitments that

Should have been dead and buried, highly sentimental, sensitive

Gentle beyond the point she should be. What might be obvious

To most, she says they’re too bitter, can’t see

The world the way she does, clean lungs, undamaged liver, sees

Thugs through her pink-tinted glasses. Occasionally, weed

Does make her giggle, listen to some music closer, dudes

Approach her lightly, wanna be her lover, and she obliges

Likes to cuddle under the covers by candlelit fires

Oblivious to lying schemes to talk her out of clothes, says

She’s just in love with love, cuts her classes, spends too much time

Entrancing, romancing. Things are changing quickly. She’s asking

“Why aren’t you spending more time with me?” Nigga’s eyes are getting

Shifty, coming over later smelling of pussy on his face

Jeans and sweaters—something’s fishy. And it’s not what

He tells her, man, it’s what he don’t, and she don’t understand

And, for some years, she probably won’t. Just wants an honest man

For goodness sake, they’re backstabbing and cutting her throat

Restraining orders follow, but she still optimistic about it

Like Annie, thinking “Tomorrow” maybe will be a better day

I let her pray on bended knees, ask him to send Prince Charming, please

She’s never cheated, treats her man well, cooks, cleans

Dresses sexy for him, halter tops and tight jeans, would break

The law for him, go through a couple of these relationships

Still stays strong, she’s too young and dumb to call it quits

Learns that she carrying twice, scared and afraid the first

Time. The second, she don’t even cry. He makes her wipe away

His tears and it hurts. They always leave and turn crazy, so

She doesn’t flirt, spends time warning the babies

Goes through a couple of these relationships and still stays strong

Too young and dumb to call it quits. It’s still a love song

[Verse 2: Jean Grae]

She’s got

A good man. She’s nineteen, he’s twenty-one and sweet and honest

Promised to love her, talk of marriage. She would never wanna

Be somebody’s baby’s mother, use rubbers occasionally

When she’s flowing, open off the affection and gifts and all

The good manners he’s showing. He’s trying to build a life for himself

Studies late, computer shit, and she’s missing attention that

She’s not getting, sex dwindles. Crawling in the sheets, he say

He tired, and she say she feel neglect and defeat, just doesn’t

See his ambition, she wanna be the universe and hold

His center position, starts hanging ‘round the best friend more

Crazy attraction, takes impulsive action, dropped the drawers

And falls in love, the world explodes when she confesses. “Yeah, I did it

So?” They’re so tight, it’s like he moves when she stretches. Over

The couple years, too many stresses, girls who wanna fight her

Bitches writing letters, friendships disappearing, plus

He rhymes, so it’s competitive pressure, miscarriage. They break up

Fifty times a week and make up just as much. He fucking

And I know, but pretending I’m out of touch. It’s getting

Strained and gets physical, she cries until the river dries

And leaves her dead and cold, packs up her things and leaves behind. What I

Had thought was gold was only gold-plated. Thinking of all

The other ones I could have just left and up and dated

Single after four years. Starting over never easy, but it

Takes some time to realize your own worth, come into

Your own, play your mental rebirth. She starts penning some

Better poems, straighten up her bank account, likes to take

Herself out. I’m getting better at it. I’ve had

A few relationships, but still too young and dumb enough to call

It quits. It’s still a love song

[Bridge 3: Jean Grae]

Love

All I ever want is you

All I ever had

Needed in my life was you

All that ever was, all I ever had

[Verse 3: Jean Grae]

Maybe it’s

Easier to talk about this shit in third person, learning

Better, looking for nub in all the wrong places like I’m

Eddie Murphy, curse me to repeat the same cycle I’m breaking

No longer think relations make a better woman, just

For life I’m pursuing, growing but hopelessly romantic still

Tasted weather in the bitter climates, love the sunshine better

Dreaming of dream proposals, decent moral values placing

Higher on my chart, trying not to have a shallow heart

But battle scars are deep and reach into the depths of Hell and back

Try to give up the grudges. Think it’s experience

And move from the clutches of sadness. It’s difficult

Sometimes, I wish I wasn’t an adult. Adolescent

Primetime sitcom star, I’ve been too far

And too much, too hard for too long. It’s still a love song