Listen Gentle

He said, "Baby boy, just come here
Never fear, let me pull a quarter from behind your ear
If I show you how to do it and you get the magic right
You can use these tricks to help your ass take flight"
Wow, I guess I never knew how
But it really comes alive when you say it out aloud
Take these pennies from my thoughts, turn it to a hundred thou'
But I can't control the fire, everybody get down
I believe I'm as brilliant as I am stupid
I'll show you a boy with wings who love shootin' like he is Cupid
We shouldn't have, runnin' in the dark, I loved the movement
But I came back home too late, saw his plate and watched her move it
A grown man and his former self dance in kitchen
One suited, the other wonderin' when the former went missin'
Now both sittin' on the floor on his back grippin'
Sayin' sorry, losin' twinkle in eye, wasn't my decision
I learned how to call the dead from the reverend
And the South made me realize that it's really hot in Heaven
I'm sure every nigga in this room can attest
I'm fickle with the way that I expel pain from my chest
Look at hands, wonder why it ain't workin', tryin' my best
Kneel to concrete, guess the magic moved when you left
Tears smeared, returnin' moisture to my face
Not gon' lie, I don't think I can say it shoulda been me up in his place
He said, "Baby boy, just come here
Never fear, let me pull a quarter from behind your ear
If I show you how to do it and you get the magic right
You can use these tricks to help your ass take flight"
Wow, I guess I never knew how
But it really comes alive when you say it out aloud
Take these pennies from my thoughts, turn it to a hundred thou'
But I can't control the fire, everybody get down
I tuck my chain into my shirt, you niggas never finna catch me
'Cause he jukin' and jivin' don't mean that lil' boy is happy
He fell in love with exactly what's gon' keep him caged
Dead presidents with a promise that he's gon' be saved
To resurrect a few homies who wouldn't know who he was
Though he made a career of them once showin' him love
It's tragic, tryna keep my kindness in my steps
With lightning in my eyes, gramps ain't got much thunder in him left
Reminiscin' on the days you put your knuckles to boy's cleft
Then we laughed so hard, hands on our knees, that we wept
Those the memories I try to preserve
And because that's what I think that child deserved
Ring-filled hand trace along the ridges of earth
I watch closely, lucky seein' her magic work
I've found the answer to be so damn contrived
I'd kill myself to bring you back, how's that magic alive?
He said, "Baby boy, just come here
Never fear, let me pull a quarter from behind your ear
If I show you how to do it and you get the magic right
You can use these tricks to help your ass take flight"
Wow, I guess I never knew how
But it really comes alive when you say it out aloud
Take these pennies from my thoughts, turn it to a hundred thou'
But I can't control the fire, everybody get— yeah
He said, "Baby boy, just come here
Never fear, let me pull a quarter from behind your ear
If I show you how to do it, and you get the magic right
You can use these tricks to help your ass take—" yeah
Wow, I guess I never knew how
But it really comes alive when you say it out aloud
Take these pennies from my thoughts, turn it to a hundred thou'
But I can't control the fire, everybody get—
Everybody get down
Everybody get