Father - LL Cool J (lyrics)

I swear to tell the truth and nothin' but the truth
So help me, God
I just felt like tellin' the story of my life
Felt like, maybe somebody could be inspired, you know?
We all feel pain, we all go through things
But it's time to overcome all that
If your plane cr...ashed in the water and everybody died
Would you drown on purpose or try to survive?
I was born handicapped, my arm wouldn't move
They called me a cripple, pops caught an attitude
Beat my moms, smoked lye, drove trucks
My moms had a miscarriage, he didn't give a f-
He sniffed some coke, come home
Beat up on my moms 'cause she's talkin' on the phone, come on
all I ever wanted
(All I ever needed) all I ever needed
(Was a father) was a father
(That's all) that's all
(All I ever wanted) all I ever wanted
(All I ever needed) all I ever needed
(Was a father) was a father
Moms got tired of the beatings said, "Yo, we got to go"
Packed up her bags, we bounced out the door
She said, "I ain't takin' these whippin's no more
I wanna live to see my little Todd grow"
I remember tear drops on my pop's face
Lookin' down at me, standin' on the staircase
Handsome brother with a smooth goatee
Makes me wonder why he act so ugly, you feelin' me? (I'm feelin' you)
all I ever wanted
(All I ever needed) all I ever needed
(Was a father) was a father
(That's all) that's all
(All I ever wanted) all I ever wanted
(All I ever needed) all I ever needed
(Was a father) was a father
My pops got drunk when me and my moms bounced
Swigged some Jack Dan', sniffed up a ounce
Grabbed the shotty, left Long Isle for Queens
Possessed by a demon, a devil it seemed
I was too young to understand the risk
When your moms come home off the midnight shift
She turned around, heard the shotgun click
My pops said, "You think that you could leave me -?"
He blasted my moms in the back
She fell down screamin', I can't forget that
My grandfather tried to close the door
He got shot ten times in the stomach, yo, for real
all I ever wanted
(All I ever needed) all I ever needed
(Was a father) was a father
(That's all) that's all
(All I ever wanted) all I ever wanted
(All I ever needed) all I ever needed
(Was a father) was a father
My head was spinnin', I had never seen blood
Four years old, this don't feel like love
Anyway, pops dissapeared
Grandpops and moms healed up over the years
This therapist got up in her head
Led her to believe without him, she'd be dead
You know, they fell in love with one another
Everything seemed right, that's word to mother
Until I started gettin' beatings every day
Sometimes for going outside to play
Late at night on my knees I'd pray
A young child, wishin' the pain would go away
Dad, where was you when he made me strip?
Beat with belts like a slave with a whip
Kicked me down steps outside in the snow
Punched me in the chest, stomped me out on the floor
That's just the tip of the iceberg, look
It's too long for a song, but perfect for a book
Word is bond, that's real, baby
but I ain't mad at you, Dad
(All I ever needed) I ain't mad at you
(Was a father) I ain't mad at you, Dad
(That's all) nah
(All I ever wanted) I ain't mad at you, Dad
(All I ever needed) nah, I ain't mad at you
(Was a father) it's all good, live long, be strong
take care of yours
(Was a father) I'ma take care of mines
(That's all) peace
(All I ever wanted) that's all I ever needed
(All I ever needed) all I ever needed
(Was a father) it's all I ever wanted
never give up
(A father) no matter what
(A father) never give up
(We need) overcome the pain
(A father) keep the faith
(A shoulder) be thankful to God
(A helper) move forward
(We need) keep striving
yeah
(All I ever needed) that's all, that's all
(Was a father) that's all, that's all
(That's all) all I ever wanted
(All I ever wanted) all I ever needed
(All I ever needed) is a father
(Was a father) yeah, never give up +