India Arie - Testimony: Vol. 1 Life & Relationship (2006) by India Arie (보컬) on maniadb.com

India Arie - Intro: Loving (Interlude)

Oh God
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
The courage to change the things that I can
The wisdom to know the difference
Ohhhh and God
Give me the courage to love with an open heart
To love with an open heart
To love with an open heart
I wanna love with an open heart
Ohhhh with an open heart

These eyes never saw you leavin
This heart is in need of some healing
These arms are letting you go
Our life is the greatest story never told

How many more ways can I explain this to you boy
We had had this conversation several times before
I will except nothing less
than your complete respect
If you cannot give me that then
maybe I should step

These eyes never saw you leavin
This heart is in need of some healing
These arms are letting you go
Our life is the greatest story never told

All this cryin all this fightin
simply ain't my style
Though you're one of
the most important people in my life
I love you from the day we met,
I know you love me too
But at this point walking away is
the best thing we can do

These eyes never saw you leavin
This heart is in need of some healing
These arms are letting you go
Our life is the greatest story never told

Are we meant to be man and wife?
The answer I don't know
Of life's many mystery's
what intrigues me the most
Is who our children would have been
I guess we'll never know
Even as I walk away I'll always keep the hope

These eyes never saw you leavin
This heart is in need of some healing
These arms are letting you go
That's life

That's the way the story goes
Truth is every relationship is a lesson
Truth is I saw it coming but it hurts anyway
Truth is I'm not the reason you're so angry
Truth is you're not the reason I'm so passive
Truth is I've got to take back my power
Truth is

The reason why it hurts so bad
to walk away from you

These eyes I never saw you leavin
This heart my heart is in need of some healing
These arms, These arms are letting you go
That's life is the greatest story never told

Our love is the greatest story never told
Our life is the greatest story never told

And that's the way the story goes...

I got the call today, I didn't wanna hear
But I knew that it would come
An old true friend of ours
was talkin' on the phone
She said you found someone
And I thought of all the bad luck,
And all the struggles we went through
How I lost me and you lost you
What are these voices outside love's open door
Make us throw off our contentment
And beg for something more?

I've been learning to live without you now
But I miss you sometimes
The more I know, the less I understand
All the things I thought I knew, I'm learning them again
I've been tryin' to get down
to the Heart of the Matter
But my will gets weak
And my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore

These times are so uncertain
There's a yearning undefined
And people filled with rage
We all need a little tenderness
How can love survive in such a graceless age
And the trust and self-assurance
that lead to happiness
They're the very things we kill, I guess
Pride and competition
cannot fill these empty arms
And the work they put between us,
You know it doesn't keep us warm

I've been trying to live without you now
But I miss you, baby
The more I know, the less I understand
And all the things I thought I figured out,
I have to learn again
I've been tryin' to get
down to the Heart of the Matter
But my will gets weak
And my heart is so shattered
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore

All the people in your life who've come and gone
They let you down, you know they hurt your pride
Better put it all behind you cause life goes on
You keep carrin' that anger,
it'll eat you up inside

I wanna be happily everafter
And my heart is so shattered
But I know it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore

I've been tryin' to get down
to the Heart of the Matter
Because the flesh will get weak
And the ashes will scatter
So I'm thinkin' about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if you don't love me anymore
Even if you don't love me anymore

Do do do
Do do do
Do do do do do do dooooooo

Good morning silence
Good morning to myself

Good morning to the pain in the center of my chest

It's crazy how much I miss
a simple good morning kiss
oh ohhhhh~

Good morning independence or is it loneliness?
I know I said I wanted this but I have regrets

I pray for God's will to be done
The very next day you were gone
Oh Ohhhhhh

Good morning to the harsh realities of life
and good morning to the fact
we're not husband and wife

We made a promise to stay
But destiny got in the way
oh ohhhhhhhh

Good morning

Good morning acceptance
Good morning inner strength
I'm loving every moment
even the strain

It's crazy how much I miss
a simple good morning kiss
It's crazy how much I've missed
Now it's time for me to live
oh ohhhhhhhhhh

Good morning

Good morning optimism
Good morning to my faith
Good morning to the beginning of a brand new day

I know that God's will be done
So I lay down my pain and I'm moving on

I know that God's will be done.
So it's a good morning after all

I'm having a private party Ain't no body here but me my angels and my guiter, singin'baby look how far we've come here I'm havin' a private party Learning how to love me celebrating the woman I've become yeah I tried to call my mother, but she didn't get where I was going I called my boyfriend and he said call me back a little later baby I hung up the phone, I felt so alone started to feel a little pity That's when I realized that I Gotta find the joy inside of me I'm having a private party Ain't no body here but me my angels and my guiter, singin'baby look how far we've come here I'm havin' a private party Learning how to love me celebrating the woman I've become yeah I'm gonna take off all my clothes Look at myself in the mirror we're gonna have a converstion we're gonna heal the disconnection I don't remember when it started but this is where it's gonna end My body is beautiful and sacred And I'm gonna celebrate it I'm having a private party Ain't no body here but me my angels and my guiter, singin'baby look how far we've come here I'm havin' a private party Learning how to love me celebrating the woman I've become yeah All my life (all my life) I've been looking for (I've been looking for) somebody else (else) To make me whole But I had to learn the hard way True love began with me This is not ego or vanity I'm just celebrating me I'm having a private party Ain't no body here but me my angels and my guiter, singin'baby look how far we've come here I'm havin' a private party Learning how to love me celebrating the woman I've become yeah Sometimes Im alone but never lonely That's what I've come to realize I've learned to love the quiet moments The sunday mornings of life where I can reach deep down inside Or out into the universe I can laugh until I cry or I can cry away the hurt I'm having a private party Ain't no body here but me my angels and my guiter, singin'baby look how far we've come here I'm havin' a private party Learning how to love me celebrating the woman I've become yeah Happy birthday to me Happy birthday to me Happy birthday Happy birthday to me Happy birthday to me Happy birthday Happy birthday to me Happy birthday to me Happy birthday Happy birthday to me Happy birthday to me Happy birthday I'm having a private party Ain't no body here but me my angels and my guiter, singin'baby look how far we've come here I'm havin' a private party Learning how to love me celebrating the woman I've become yeah I'm having a private party Ain't no body here but me my angels and my guiter, singin'baby look how far we've come here I'm havin' a private party Learning how to love me celebrating the woman I've become

There's hope [Verse 1:] Back when I had a little I thought that I needed a lot A little was over rated, but a lot was a little too complicated You see-Zero didn't satisfy me A million didn't make me happy That's when I learned a lesson That it's all about your perception Hey-are you a papa or a superstar So you act, so you feel, so you are It ain't about the size of your car It's about the size of the faith in your heart [Chorus:] There's hope It doesn't cost a thing to smile You don't have to pay to laugh You better thank God for that [repeat] [Verse 2:] Off in the back country of Brazil A met a young brotha that made me feel That I could accomplish anything. You see just like me he wanted to sing He had no windows and no doors He lived a simple life and was extremely poor On top of all of that he had no eye sight, but that didn't keep him from seein' the light He said, what's it like in the USA, and all I did was complain He said-livin' here is paridise He taught me paridise is in your mind You know that

India Arie - Interlude: Living

In the face of the unexpected (yeah, yeah)
you never know what's gonna happen tomorrow,
but I wanna live, I wanna live, I wanna live.
Yea-a-a, yea-a-a, yea-a-a,ooo-ah.
I wanna live, I wanna live, I wanna live, with an open heart
yea, a-a-a-a-h.

Too much hypocrisy
in this old southern town for me
Way back in 1619 began this tragic story
Thrown into slavery
the crime was the color of skin
Never to see the light of the past again

I wanna go where the mountains are
high enough to echo my song
I wanna go where the rivers run
deep enough to drown my shame
I wanna go where the stars shine
bright enough to show me the way
I wanna go where the wind calls my name
The wind is calling India India India

It's a typical Savannah day
So I take my guitar to the park and I play
Sitting up under the live oak tree
The strangest feeling came over me
Is this the tree where my brother was hung?
Is this the ground where is body was burnt?
God gave to me the gift of song
so I dedicate this one

I wanna go where the mountains are
high enough to echo my song
I wanna go where the rivers run
deep enough to drown my shame
I wanna go where the stars shine
bright enough to show me the way
I wanna go where the wind calls my name
The wind is calling India India India

Superiority, who have you better than me
Wasting precious time on racist mentality
This is only the beginning
because we'll be pushing up
daisies in the ending
Spirit knows no color
either you're a hater or a lover

I wanna go where the mountains are
high enough to echo my song
I wanna go where the rivers run
deep enough to drown my shame
I wanna go where the stars shine
bright enough to show me the way
I wanna go where the wind calls my name
The wind is calling India India India

Wings of Forgiveness I just want you to know After everything that we've been through I just want you to know That I still love you Had to go Across the water Just to find What was here in my heart all along Spend so much time Trying to be right That I was dead wrong If Nelson Mandela can forgive his oppressors Surely I can forgive you for your passion Chorus1 : You're only human Let's shake free this gravity of resentment And fly high, and fly high You're only human Let's shake free this gravity of judgment And fly high on the wings of forgiveness Had to run To the arms of curiosity Just to find What was here in my life all along I had found that the art of simplicity Simply means making peace of your complexity If Gandhi can forgive persecution Surely you can forgive me for being so petty Chorus1 I've searched for romance Flowers and affection What I found is a lesson Of what love really is Found the game of love is Not about how much you can take In fact authentic love is about How much you can give Chorus2 : After everything that we've been through I just want you to know That I still love you I want you to know That I forgive you (thank you for teaching how to give) And I wanna let you know how much you changed my life I wanna let you know you taught me how to fly And I wrote this song to tell you this I'm better cuz you taught me how to give I took a swim In the sea of guilt and misery To find myself in an island In the middle of nowhere In my solitude I asked to know the highest truth And what I was told Is to let own self be true If Jesus can forgive crucifixion Surely we can survive and find resolution Let's keep it moving Let's shake free this gravity of resentment And fly high, and fly high Chorus1 Chorus2 I still love you I want you to know I still love you Want you to know I still love you (And I always will love you) And I wanna let you know I forgive you I wanna let you know That I still love you Want you to know I still love you I just want you to know I still love you Want you to know I still love you Want you to know I still love you And I wanna let you know I forgive you I wanna let you know I still love you

Goodbye summer
I hate to see you go;
I wasn't ready for
the Autumn wind to blow.

So lonely.

We had a fine time time
holding hands in June.
Warm in the sunshine
watching loving bloom.

Where are you now?

My heart is frozen in this place.
Waiting for another summer's day;
to bring you back my way.

Hello winter watch the swirling snow.
I didn't have a blanket for the cold.

So lonely now.

My heart is frozen in this place.
Waiting for another summer's day
to bring you back my way.

I'd be waiting under the pappa tree.
Anticipating, when you come back me
in the spring.

Hello summer a kiss from my old friend.
Been such a long time
tell me how you've been.

So lonely now yeah.

My heart is frozen in this place.
Waiting for another summers day;
to bring you back my way.

Hello summer
I hate to see you go.

[Talking:] Is that India.Arie? What happened to her hair? Ha ha ha ha ha Dat dad a dat da [4x] Dad a ooh [Verse 1] Little girl with the press and curl Age eight I got a Jheri curl Thirteen I got a relaxer I was a source of so much laughter At fifteen when it all broke off Eighteen and went all natural February two thousand and two I went and did What I had to do Because it was time to change my life To become the women that I am inside Ninety-seven dreadlock all gone I looked in the mirror For the first time and saw that HEY.... [Chorus] I am not my hair I am not this skin I am not your expectations no no I am not my hair I ma not this skin I am a soul that lives within [Talking:] What'd she do to her hair? I don't know it look crazy I like it. I might do that. Umm I wouldn't go that far. I know .. ha ha ha ha [Verse 2] Good hair means curls and waves Bad hair means you look like a slave At the turn of the century Its time for us to redefine who we be You can shave it off Like a South African beauty Or get in on lock Like Bob Marley You can rock it straight Like Oprah Winfrey If its not what's on your head Its what's underneath and say HEY.... [Chorus] [Bridge] (Whoa, whoa, whoa) Does the way I wear my hair make me a better person? (Whoa, whoa, whoa) Does the way I wear my hair make me a better friend? Oooh (Whoa, whoa, whoa) Does the way I wear my hair determine my integrity? (Whoa, whoa, whoa) I am expressing my creativity.. (Whoa, whoa, whoa) [Verse 3] Breast Cancer and Chemotherapy Took away her crown and glory She promised God if she was to survive She would enjoy everyday of her life ooh On national television Her diamond eyes are sparkling Bald headed like a full moon shining Singing out to the whole wide world like HEY... [Chorus 2x] [Ad lib] If I wanna shave it close Or if I wanna rock locks That don't take a bit away From the soul that I got Dat da da dat da [4x] If I wanna where it braided All down my back I don't see what wrong with that Dat da da dat da [4x] [Talking:] Is that India.Arie? Ooh look she cut her hair! I like that, its kinda PHAT I don't know if I could do it. But it looks sharp, it looks nice on her She got a nice shaped head She got an apple head I know right? It's perfect.

India Arie - Get It Together

One shot to your heart without breaking your skin.
No one has the power to hurt you life your kin.
Kept it inside didn't tell no one else,
didn't even want to admit to yourself.

And now your chest burns and your backaches,
from fifteen years of holding the pain.
And now you'll only have yourself to blame if you continue to live this way.

Chorus: Get it together, you have to heal your body.
Get it together you have to heal your heart.
Whatsoever you so sow you will reap, Get it together.

Dark future ahead of me that's what they said.
I'd be starving if I ate al the lies they fed.
Cause' I've been redeemed from your anguish and pain,
a miracle child, I'm floating on a cloud.
Cause' the wards that come from your mouth, you're the first to hear...
Speak words of beauty ad you will be there.
Na matter what anybody says what matters most is what you think of yourself.

Chorus:Get it together, you have to heal your body.
Get it together you have to heal your heart.
Whatsoever you so sow you will reap, Get it together.

The choice is yours, don't matter what it is.
To choice life... is to choice to forgive.
You don't have to try and hurt him, or break his pride...
Just shake that weight off and you'll be ready to fly.

One shot to your heart without breaking your skin,
no one has the power to hurt you like your friends.
Thought it would never change,
but as time moved on,
that ugly duckling grew up to be a swan.
And now your chest hurts and your back aches because
now the years are showing up on your face.
But you'll never be happy and you'll never be whole
until you see the beauty in growing old.

Chorus:Get it together, you have to heal your body.
Get it together you have to heal your heart.
Whatsoever you so sow you will reap, Get it together.

You can fly, fly, fly, fly
You can live or you can die
You know that life is a choice you make
You can give or you can take

Better People Yeah Yeah! Yeah Yeah! [Verse 1:] I wish there was a video game to teach you your ancestors name I wish there was a phone number like 1-800-Save-Your-Brother I'm thankful for the radio station Not afraid to put the truth in rotation there are skirts of information That you can only get in conversation with... [Chorus:] Young People, who talk to Old People, it would make us Better People, all around... (Yes it would) And if Old People would talk to Young People, it would make us Better People, all around.... (Yes it would) [Verse 2:] We went from radio to TV Now we're going from LP to CD Don't be afraid To try something new I can help you with the brand new technology Help me with the age old philosophy Together there's so much we can do with: [Chorus:] They say that every Generation gets worse Whether if your generous or no purse These problems tend to strive off the sky (yeah) Listen to Mahatma Ghandi's words Be the change you want to see in the world Start with yourself and healing will multiply AAAAAAH, that's what happens When.. [Chorus:] If black people Would talk to white people It would make us Better People All Around.... If Republican people would Talk to Democratic people It would make us diplomatic people [laugh] All Around.....

India Arie - Outro: Learning (Interlude)

The highest expression of love is to give without expecting,
the highest expressiong of love is to except without expections.
I have so much to learn, I have so much to learn, have so much to learn, o-o-o-o-oh

"I Choose" Because you never know where life is gonna take you and you can't change where you've been. But today, I have the opportunity to choose. [Verse 1:] Here am I now looking at 30 and I got so much to say. I gotta get this off of my chest, I gotta let it go today. I was always too concerned about what everybody would think. But I can't live for everybody, I gotta live my life for me.(Yeah) I pitched a fork in the road of my life and ain't nothing gonna happen unless I decide. [Chorus:] (And I choose) to be the best that I can be. (I choose) to be authentic in everything I do. My past don't dictate who I am. I choose. (Yeah) [Verse 2:] I done been through some painful things I thought that I would never make it through. Filled up with shame from the top of my head to the soles of my shoes. I put myself in so many chaotic circumstances, but by the grace of God I've been given so many second chances. But today I decided to let it all go. I'm dropping these bags, I'm making room for my joy. [Chorus:] (And I choose) to be the best that I can be. (I choose) to be authentic in everything I do. My past don't dictate who I am. I choose. [Bridge:] Because you never know where life is gonna take you and you can't change where you've been. But today, I have the opportunity to choose. (Hey ey) I used to have guilt about why things happen they way they did cuz life is gone do what it do. And everyday, I have the opportunity to choose. [Verse 3:] From this day forward I'm going to be exactly who I am. I don't need to change the way that I live just to get a man. (NO!) I even had a talk with my mama and I told her the day I'm grown, "from this day forward, every decision I make will be my own." And hey! [Chorus:] (And I choose) to be the best that I can be. (I choose) to be courageous in everything I do. My past don't dictate who I am. I choose. (And I choose) to be the best that I can be. (I choose) to be authentic in everything I do. My past don't dictate who I am. I choose. [Bridge:] Because you never know where life is gonna take you and you can't change where you've been. But today, I have the opportunity to choose. (Hey ey) I used to have guilt about why things happen they way they did cuz life is gone do what it do. And everyday, I have the opportunity to choose.