Mockingbird

Hailie, I know you miss your mom, and I know you miss your dad
When I'm gone, but I'm tryin' to give you the life that I never had
I can see you're sad, even when you smile, even when you laugh
I can see it in your eyes, deep inside you wanna cry
'Cause you're scared, I ain't there, daddy's wit' you in your prayers
No more cryin', wipe them tears, daddy's here, no more nightmares
We gon' pull together through it, we gon' do it
Lainie, uncle's crazy, ain't he? Yeah
Well, all we got in this world when it spins, when it swirls
When it whirls, when it twirls, two little beautiful girls
Lookin' puzzled, in a daze, I know it's confusin' you
Daddy's always on the move, mama's always on the news
I try to keep you sheltered from it, but somehow it seems
The harder that I try to do that, the more it backfires on me

All the things growin' up as daddy that he had to see
Daddy don't want you to see, but you see just as much as he did
We did not plan it to be this way, your mother and me
Things have got so bad between us, I don't see us ever bein'
Together ever again, like we used to be when we was teenagers
Then, of course, everything always happens for a reason
I guess it was never meant to be
But it's just somethin' we have no control over, and that's what destiny is
But no more worries, rest your head and go to sleep
Maybe one day we'll wake up, this'll all just be a dream

Now hush, little baby, don't you cry
Everything's gonna be alright
Stiffen that upper lip up, little lady, I told you
Daddy's here to hold ya through the night
I know mommy's not here right now and we don't know why
We feel how we feel inside
It may seem a little crazy, pretty baby
But I promise mama's gon' be alright

It's funny
I remember back one year when daddy had no money
Mommy wrapped the Christmas presents up and stuck 'em under the tree
And said some of 'em were from me 'cause daddy couldn't buy 'em
I'll never forget that Christmas, I sat up the whole night crying
'Cause daddy felt like a bum—see, daddy had a job
But his job was to keep the food on the table for you and mom
And at the time, every house that we lived in
Either kept gettin' broken into and robbed or shot up on the block
And your mom was savin' money for you in a jar
Tryna start a piggy bank for you so you could go to college
Almost had a thousand dollars, till someone broke in and stole it
And I know it hurt so bad it broke your mama's heart
And it seemed like everything was just startin' to fall apart
Mom and dad was arguin' a lot
Mama moved back on to chalmers in the one-bedroom apartment
Dad moved back to the other side of 8 mile in novara
And that's when daddy went to California with his CD
And met dr. Dre, and flew you and mama out to see me

But daddy had to work, you and mama had to leave me
Then you started seein' daddy on the TV
Mama didn't like it
And you and lainie were too young to understand it
Papa was a rolling stone, mama developed a habit
It all happened too fast for either one of us to grab it
I'm just sorry you were there and had to witness it firsthand
'Cause all I ever wanted to do was just make you proud
Now I'm sittin' in this empty house just reminiscin'
Lookin' at your baby pictures, it just trips me out
To see how much you've grown, it's almost like you're sisters now
Wow, guess you pretty much are, and daddy's still here
Lainie, I'm talkin' to you too, and daddy's still here
I like the sound of that, yeah, it's got a ring to it, don't it?
Shh! Mama's only gone for the moment

Now hush, little baby, don't you cry
Everything's gonna be alright
Stiffen that upper lip up, little lady, I told ya
Daddy's here to hold ya through the night
I know mommy's not here right now and we don't know why
We feel how we feel inside
It may seem a little crazy, pretty baby
But I promise mama's gon' be alright

And if you ask me to, daddy's gonna buy you a mockingbird
I'ma give you the world
I'ma buy a diamond ring for you, I'ma sing for you
I'll do anything for you to see you smile
And if that mockingbird don't sing and that ring don't shine
I'ma break that birdie's neck
I'll go back to the jeweler who sold it to ya
And make him eat every carat, don't fuck with dad! (haha)