The Days Back In

interpolates lyrics from “Back In The Day” by Ahmad and “Everything I Am” by Kanye West

[Verse 1]
I remember Super Soakers, our trampoline
Playing with the neighbor kids, what a happy scene
Super Nintendo and Gameboy when we had to be, inside because of reasons we couldn’t have foreseen
We even caught frogs and once a salamander in our window wells
It’s funny ‘cause now they seem empty and long abandoned
Or we don’t check anymore to see if they’re still there, oh well
And we used to get treats from the ice cream truck we called the ding-ding man, for the bell that would ring, or the song that would spring from that
Freeze pops, we called ‘em freezies, in the plastic sleeves
We got so high off the sugar it was maddening, our bikes we had to wheel
Those were the days

[Chorus]
I wouldn’t be here today if the old days didn’t shape my ways
‘cause back in the days when I was young, I’m not a kid anymore
But sometimes I think about how things had been back then

[Verse 2]
I went to Goodwin Elementary
I was the chunky kid, that seemed like hell for me
Hot lunch I used to love, but it was junk
But most days my dear mama she would pack a lunch
Recess, we would scatter and have some fun
It wouldn’t last too long but we would laugh and run
When we got older it was the Teen Center—sports, arcade games, and greasy pizza, and a movie in front the seats that we’d be on
I couldn’t sit for too long, I guess the movie was stupid or, I just wanted to shoot some pool more
‘cause those were the days

[Chorus]
I wouldn’t be here today if the old days didn’t shape my ways
‘cause back in the days when I was young, I’m not a kid anymore
But sometimes I sit and think how things had been back then

[Verse 3]
That sure was the life but we didn’t know it
I didn’t know much of poor folks, they didn’t show it
We had family vacations, that was bourgeois
Because it takes money and time off from the time clock
When we would go to church, I didn’t know then—
That it would shape my moral stance and the whole thing
How was I to know some songs and Sunday School would be so fundamental for a gestational spirit?
I guess I took it more serious than the other children—
Or made the most out of all those lessons or maybe both things
‘cause here I am after all reminiscing
But all I know is it made a mark and I’m grateful for that
And ya know what? Life’s as good as it was then
So I’ll go on and see where the road bends
And where it ends

[Chorus]
Damn, here we go again
Everything I got made we everything I am
Damn

Damn

Damn
Common rapped on a beat, I made myself a fan
Now everything I got made me everything I am
Damn