Mockingbird

Yeah

I know sometimes

things may not always make sense to you right now

But hey

what daddy always tell you?

Straighten up little soldier

stiffen up that upper lip

What you crying about?

You got me

Hailie

I know you miss your mom

and I know you miss your dad

When I'm gone

but I'm trying to give you the life that I never had

I can see you're sad

even when you smile

even when you laugh

I can see it in your eyes

deep inside

you want to cry

'Cause you're scared; I ain't there? Daddy's with you in your prayers

No more crying

wipe them tears; daddy's here

no more nightmares

We gon' pull together through it

we gon' do it

Laney uncle's crazy

ain't he? Yeah

but he loves you girl and you better know it

We're all we got in this world When it spins

when it swirls

When it whirls

when it twirls two little beautiful girls

Lookin' puzzled

in a daze. I know it's confusin' you

Daddy's always on the move; mama's always on the news

I try to keep you sheltered from it

but somehow it seems

The harder that I try to do that

the more it backfires on me

All the things growing up his daddy that he had to see

Daddy don't want you to see

but you see just as much as he did

We did not plan it to be this way

your mother and me

But things have gotten so bad between us

I don't see us ever being together

Ever again

like we used to be when we was teenagers

But then of course everything always happens for a reason

I guess it was never meant to be

But it's just something we have no control over

and that's what destiny is

But no more worries

rest your head

and go to sleep

Maybe one day we'll wake up

and this will all just be a dream

Now hush little baby

don't you cry

Everything's gonna be all right

Stiffen that upper lip up little lady

I told ya

Daddy's here to hold ya through the night

I know mommy's not here right now

and we don't know why

We fear how we feel inside

It may seem a little crazy

pretty baby

But I promise mama's gon' be all right

It's funny

I remember back one year

when daddy had no money

Mommy wrapped the Christmas presents up and stuck 'em under the tree

And said some of 'em were from me

'cause daddy couldn't buy 'em

I'll never forget that Christmas; I sat up the whole night crying

'Cause daddy felt like a bum

see daddy had a job

But his job was to keep the food on the table for you and mom

And at the time

every house that we lived in either kept getting broke into and robbed or shot up on the block

And your mom was saving money for you in a jar

Tryma start a piggy bank for you so you could go to college

Almost had a thousand dollars

till someone broke in and stole it

And I know it hurt so bad

it broke your mama's heart

And it seemed like everything was just startin' to fall apart

Mom and dad was arguin' a lot

so mama moved back

On the Chalmers in the flat—one bedroom apartment

And dad moved back to the other side of 8 Mile on Novara

And that's when daddy went to California with his CD

And met Dr. Dre and flew you and mama out to see me

But daddy had to work

you and momma had to leave me

Then you started seeing daddy on the TV

And mama didn't like it and you and Laney were to young to understand it

Papa was a Rollin' Stone

momma developed a habit

And it all happened too fast for either one of us to grab it

I'm just sorry you were there and had to witness it first hand

'Cause all I ever wanted to do was just make you proud

Now I'm sittin' in this empty house

Just reminiscing lookin' at your baby pictures

it just trips me out

To see how much you both have grown

it's almost like you're sisters now

Wow

guess you pretty much are and

daddy's still here

Laney I'm talkin' to you too: Daddy's still here

I like the sound of that

yeah; it's got a ring to it

don't it?

Shh

mama's only gone for the moment

Now hush little baby

don't you cry

Everything's gonna be all right

Stiffen that upper lip up little lady

I told ya

Daddy's here to hold ya through the night

I know mommy's not here right now

and we don't know why

We fear how we feel inside

It may seem a little crazy

pretty baby

But I promise mama's gon' be all right

And if you ask me

too

daddy's gonna buy you a mockingbird

I'mma give you the world

I'mma buy a diamond ring for you

I'mma sing for you

I'll do anything for you to see you smile

And if that mockingbird don't sing and that ring don't shine

I'mma break that birdie's neck

I'd go back to the jeweler who sold it to ya

And make him eat every karat; don't fuck with dad (haha)