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The introductory sample is taken from Marvin Gaye’s “Soon I’ll Be Loving You Again” (1976). It is also sampled in “1st Time” by Talib Kweli and Consequence.
Gaye, an influential Motown artist from the 1960s, is most famous for his political album, What’s Going On, a concept album in which Gaye sing...
[Intro: Marvin Gaye]
Dreamed of you this morning
Then came the dawn, and
I thought you were here with me
If you could only see
How much I love you
That's all, that's all, baby
[Chorus: Marvin Gaye & JAY-Z]
Oh no, I never gave up no way (I never felt that before)
Oh no, I never gave up no way (I never felt that before)
Oh no, I never gave up no way (I never felt that before)
But there's always— that's all, that's all, baby (Uh, uh)
[Verse 1: JAY-Z]
This is the shit you dream about with the homies steaming out
Back-to-back, backing them Bimmers out
Seems as our plans to get a grant
Then go off to college didn't pan or even out
We need it now, we need a town
We need a place to pitch, we need a mound
For now, I'm just a lazy boy
Daydreaming in my La-Z-Boy
In the clouds of smoke, been playing this Marvin
Mama, forgive me, should be thinking about Harvard
But that's too far away, niggas is starving
Nothing wrong with my aim, just gotta change the target
I got dreams of bagging snid-ow the size of pillows
I see pies every time my eyes clid-ose
I see rides, sixes, I gotta get those
Life's a bitch, I hope to not make her a widow
[Chorus: Marvin Gaye & JAY-Z]
Oh no, I never gave up no way (I never felt that before)
American dreamin'
Oh no, I never gave up no way (I never felt that before)
I'm just American dreamin'
Oh no, I never gave up no way (I never felt that before)
American dreamin'
But there's always— that's all, that's all, baby (Uh, uh)
[Verse 2: JAY-Z]
Now see the life's right there, and it seems right there
And it's not quite near, and it's not like we're
Professionals, moving the decimals
Know where to cop? Nah, got a connect? No
Who in the F knows how to be successful
Need a personal Jesus, I'm in Depeche Mode
They say its celestial, it's all in the stars
It's like Tony La Russa on how you play your cards
'Cause y'all ain't fucking with me, the ironies are
At all costs, better avoid these bars
Now let's start, on your mark
Get set, let's go, get out the car
Going in circles, it's a vicious cycle
This is a crash course, this ain't high school
Wake up, Muttley, you're dreaming again
Your own reality show, the season begins
[Chorus: Marvin Gaye & JAY-Z]
Oh no, I never gave up no way (I never felt that before)
American dreamin'
Oh no, I never gave up no way (I never felt that before)
I'm just American dreamin'
Oh no, I never gave up no way (I never felt that before)
American dreamin'
But there's always— that's all, that's all, baby
[Verse 3: JAY-Z]
Step one in this process, scramble up in your projects
And head to the heights where big coke is processed
You gotta convince 'em that you're not from the precinct
Please speak slow 'cause he no speaky no English
If he takes a liking after a couple of trips
And your money is straight, he's going to give you consignment
Now in the game where only time can tell
Survive the droughts, I wish you well— hold up
Survive the droughts? I wish you well?
How sick am I? I wish you health
I wish you wheels, I wish you wealth
I wish you insight so you could see for yourself
You could see the signs when the jackers is scheming
And the cops is coming, you could read they mind
You could see from behind, you could redefine
The game as we know it, one dream at a time
I'm American dreamin'
[Chorus: Marvin Gaye & JAY-Z]
Oh no, I never gave up no way (I never felt that before)
American dreamin'
Oh no, I never gave up no way (I never felt that before)
American dreamin'
Oh no, I never gave up no way (I never felt that before)
American dreamin'
But there's always— that's all, that's all, baby
[Outro: JAY-Z]
American dreamin'
American Dreamin’ was written by JAY-Z & Diddy & Marvin Gaye & Arthur “T-Boy” Ross & Leon Ware & LV (Producer) & Sean C.
American Dreamin’ was produced by Sean C & LV & Diddy.
JAY-Z released American Dreamin’ on Tue Nov 06 2007.
During his VH1 Storytellers session Hov explained the meaning behind the track:
The album is a journey. It starts with a song called ‘Pray,’ and ends with a song called ‘Fallin’.' ‘American Dreamin’‘ is him and his homeboy dreaming about having the finer things in life. Dreaming about getting their...