Ray

Ray Lyrics

VERSE 1

She looking all over for it, can’t find it anywhere

Been looking for it so long, now she not sure if it’s here

She pretty sure it is, though, the memory’s so vivid

Or maybe she just dreamed it all and she trying to relive it

The days turn to nights, nights turn back to the weekend

She long for the embrace that once carried her through the deep end

Brought her upon shore and made sure she was still breathing

Leaving footprints in the sand as the day faded to evening

Heart broke into a million jagged pieces

She was daddy’s girl, then one day daddy said he’s leaving

She cried for days, then went numb

Yelled out, “I’m done”

Said, “When I have my kids they’ll never go through what I went through”

Her oldest two, the one in her belly due any day

Say sometimes she feel like she living her life without a say

Not sure if it’s part of the plan ‘cause she don’t have one anyway

But at least the father of this one solid, she know he’ll stay

But sometimes he don’t follow through like he say he’ll do

I call him, he don’t answer, it’s always another lame excuse

“I worked late, I had a flat, I paid you back, what you ain’t see?”

“It wasn’t nothing to see ‘cause you lying, Ray, stop playing with me”

She think he’s cheating, what else would be a logical reason?

But this yo baby in my stomach, you never here to see it

We supposed to be a family, but you never here to be it

You supposed to be my…

It was his brother, she picked it up and let him have it

“Ya brother’s a lying, cheating coward, I can’t stand him, you can have it”

He said, “Diane, I know you mad, but before you start packing,

My brother is not a cheater, my brother is a—well, he’s an addict”

VERSE 2

Fresh out the ’80s, blue and white Oiler Starter jacket

He’s charismatic, supportive, hard-working, and handsome

He’s been wrestling with acceptance since a youth

Used to flip out, lose his temper, and lock his self in a room

But you know Ray, that’s how he is, he just want some attention

Deficit Disorder that developed to depression

He struggles while in school and his parents fail to address it

They just say he need to work harder, they don’t know he’s dyslexic

He’s just always last

But every year he’s socially promoted from his class

Time pass, now he 17 and he can’t read

But he gotta eat so he takes odd jobs to make ends meet

Nothing evens out, his depression increases doubt

He feel trapped, he don’t see a out, he feel stupid, can’t make it count

He really don’t want go that route, but it seems like that’s where he is headed

Life is just getting too heavy, if I jump will someone catch me?

Then he thinks about Leanna

This is years before him and Diane even knew of each other

Puppy love at its purest, they were supposed to be together forever

But forever came a lot sooner than either of them expected

In the form of a fetus that grew in the womb of a teen

Whose parents thought it was too soon to be consumed

By responsibilities of promiscuity

With a Black boy who came up out the streets, who could barely write or read

“We don’t need ‘em, Leanna, we’ll do our own thing

We’ll start our own family—just me, you, and baby girl

You want the world? Well, you can have it

Stars, moons, suns, planets—I see the depth of my soul in your brown eyes”

She breaks down on the phone, he like, “Leanna, what’s wrong?!”

She crying inconsolably, he’s like, “Leanna, what’s wrong?!”

“My mom… my dad… our baby—I don’t know, Ray”

“Leanna, what’s wrong?!”

“They took her, Ray. She’s gone.”

OUTRO

Mmph

I’m sor… I’m so sorry, Momma

Noooo more pain

It’s like… it’s like I’m floating

I am… I’m floating

High above

Hi baby, that’s Daddy’s baby