You are appreciated...

When I was young,me and my mama had beef.
17 years old kicked out on tha streets.
though back in tha time,never thought I'd see her face.
ain't a woman alive that can take my mommas place.
suspended from school,sccared ta go home.
I was a fool with tha big boys breaking all tha rules.
shed tears with my baby sister.
over tha years we wuz poorer than tha other little kids.
and eventhough we had different daddies.
tha same drama when things wehnt wrong we blamed mama.
I reminised on tha stress I caused,it wuz hell.
hugg'en on my mama from a jail cell.
and who'd think in elementry,heey I'd see the penatentry.
one day.
running from tha police,that's right.
momma catch me---put a whopp'en to my backside.
and even as a crack fiend mama, ya always was a black queen.
I finally understand for a woman.
it ain't easy---trying ta raise a man.
ya always wuz commited,a poor single mother on welfare, tell me how ya did it.
there's no way I can pay ya back.
but tha plan is ta show ya that I understand.
you are appreciated....

Laaady,don't cha know we luv ya.
Sweeeeeet Laaady,place no one about ya.
Sweeeeeet Laaady,don't cha know we luv ya.

Ain't nobody tell us it wuz fair.
no luv for my daddy,cause tha coward wuzn't there.
he passed away and I didn't cry.
cause my anger wouldn't let me feel for a strnager.
they say I'm wrong and I'm heartless.
but all along I wuz looking for a father---he wuz gone.
I hung around with tha thug's and eventhought they sold drugs.
they showed a young brother luv.
I moved out and started really hang'in.
I needed money of my own so I started slang'in.
I ain't guilty cause,eventhough I sell rocks.
it feels good,putting money in your mailbox.
I love paying rent when tha rents due.
I hope ya got tha diamond necklace that I sent to you.
cause when I wuz low,you was there for me.
ya never left me alone,cause ya cared for me.
and I can see ya coming home after work late.
ya in tha kitchen trying ta fix us a hot plate.
just working with tha scraps you wuz given.
and mama made miracles every Thanksgiving.
but now tha road got rough,your alone.
trying ta raise two bad kids on your own.
and ther's no way I can pay ya back.
but my plan is ta show ya that I understand.
you are appreciated...

Laaady,don't cha know we luv ya.
Sweeeeeet Laaady,place no one about ya.
Sweeeeeet Laaady,don't cha know we luv ya.

pour out some piquor and I remenise.
cause through tha drama, I can always depend on my mama.
and when it seems that I'm hopeless.
you say tha words that can get me back in focus.
when I wuz sick as a little kid. ta keep me happy theres no limit to tha things ya did.
and all my childhood memories.
are full of all tha sweet things ya did for me.
I got ta thank tha Lord tha ya maaaaade me.
there are no words that can express how I feel.
ya never kept a secret,always satyed real.
and I appreciate how ya raised me.
and all tha extra love that ya gave me.
I wish I could take tha pain away.
if you can make it through tha night,there's a brighter day.
everything'll be alright if ya hold on. it's a struggle.
everyday gotta roll on.
and there's no way I can pay ya back.
but my plan is ta chow ya that I understand.
you are appreciated...

Laaady,don't cha know we luv ya.
Sweeeeeet Laaady,place no one about ya.
Sweeeeeet Laaady,don't cha know we luv ya.

Laaaaaady.......(en diminuant)....Laaaady