Be for Real

Hey, lady, can I say something to you for a minute?

Please? No, now before you take your coat off, that's it

I got something to tell you

See, what I have to say is so very important to our relationship

Why is it that every time we go out on the town, we get around our friends?

Man, you're always talking about what you got, huh

Went out and bought for you

How much money I make

And what school our children go to

And all the fancy clothes and big pretty cars

The big diamond rings, and them fantastic mink coats

Is you for real? No, I don't think you are

Seat down, no, seat down

Now don't say nothing, you see

Wait a minute, wait a minute, that is your problem

That is your problem, you're always saying the wrong tthing at the right time

You see, I don't, I don't know how to explain this to you

The best I can tell you is, what my mother told me as I was coming up

She used to say, "Son, chances go 'round"

She said, the same people that you meet going up

You meet the same old faces coming down

Heh, tell the truth

You see, people today, they come out there to party

They come out to party, man

They didn't come out to hear all that jive mess you talking about

You standing up in the corner with a bottle of champagne talking about Harry, Joe, and Dick and Bobby and what they ain't got

And they live down in the lower development homes, and you won't even help

You won't even buy 'em a drink

Is that any way to meet them?

If you're gonna boast, boast around somebody that has what you have

Don't make your own brothers and sisters feel bad

You see, listen

I know you know what I'm talking about, because from time to time, I can remember you coming to me putting your head on my shoulder and crying, oh, papa, why? Why? Why don't nobody wanna be my friend?

You told me a long time ago, you said, "papa, what am I doing?"

I didn't wanna tell you that

I thought you had sense enough to realize what you're doing, but I see you don't

Sit down and listen to me, no sit down

You see, people are too sensitive today

They don't wanna hear all that jive you talking back

You see, they don't wanna hear about what you got, 'cause they're trying to get it too

Heh, tell the truth

I can't very much blame her

As much as it hurts me, it hurts to see people going around behind our backs saying that "this woman this, this woman that," or "she ain't this" or "she ain't that"

I wanna be proud of you, mama.l

I wanna be proud of you

Listen, as long as you live

As long as you live, whether you're with me or not

Be for real, girl

Just be for real, yeah (be for real)

Be for real, girl

Be, be, be for real, yeah (be for reeal)

Be for real

You shouldn't have to worry about how you've been living good

No, if you're smartly dressed, hey, baby, hey, baby

What you should be doing is getting down on your knees every night

And thanking the man above for being blessed, right now

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

If you want your friends to think you're starting with a smile

Be for real, girl

Just be, be for real (be for real)

Be, be for real

I can't let you go on chasing my friends away

Because of the silly and stupid things you say

My baby, yeah, baby, hey, baby

You better dig yourself there, woman

Putting people down is less best to you

It just don't pay. Hey, yeah

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

I want people today by starting with a smile

Be for real, girl

I know, I know I want you to do is just be for real

(Be for real) hey, lady, yeah, baby, yeah, baby

(Be for real, girl) be for real, honey

Just be, be for real,(be for real)

I don't want your money, I don't need your money

(Be for real, girl) just be for real, just be for real, mama

Don't do it for me, do it for yourself

(Be for real) be for real, honey

Yeah, yeah,ltell 'em ' bout it, honey

(Be for real, girl) be for real, mama, hey, yeah

Just be, be, be for real (be for real)