Verse 1:
Look, Derek was a kid and he loved two things
Bangin on his drums and writin his poetry
Little diddies haikus, but little did he know
About the world all around him cause he lived through what he wrote
The final bell at school would ring and set him free
To run home to his room and dive into his dreams
Pick up the drum sticks, let the stress out
Take up the pen next, and let the rest out
Music and metaphors, language and steady bars
A sanctuary he created for the simple cause
Of doing things a little different than society
Decided he'd construct a universe in his mind ya see
Derek's family, was stricken by poverty
His father drank a lot, his mother was rarely seen
His brother was seventeen, and always out late
But Derek defied it all and made his own fate
Hook:
Every word that we speak today
Has the power to create a new tomorrow
So I keep a clear mind and a wise tongue
And let the many good days follow
From a thought to a word to a deed
To a habit to a life full of everything we see
I'll just keep a clear mind and a wise tongue
Every day's a clean slate I've only just begun
Verse 2:
Now let me get back to the story of Derek
He reached a point of hysteria with his parents
And these hysterics were apparent to the neighbors just adjacent
So Derek was embarra**ed whenever he faced em
But he, swallowed his pride took a confident stride
Knocked on the neighbors' door, heart thumpin inside
And when they answered Derek started to cry
All the emotions that he stored up came pouring out his eyes
The neighbors listened then invited him in
Sent him home well fed and gave him peace within
So he started going daily thinking “maybe this will save me
From the bad life under which I'm pinned”
And it did Derek's twenty with plenty now
He received the love he needed every day at his neighbors' house
Since Rob and Jenny had the heart to reach out
Little Derek grew to be a free man on his own route
Hook:
Every word that we speak today
Has the power to create a new tomorrow
So I keep a clear mind and a wise tongue
And let the many good days follow
From a thought to a word to a deed
To a habit to a life full of everything we see
I'll just keep a clear mind and a wise tongue
Every day's a clean slate I've only just begun
Verse 3 (Sean Brown) missing:
Hook:
Every word that we speak today
Has the power to create a new tomorrow
So I keep a clear mind and a wise tongue
And let the many good days follow
From a thought to a word to a deed
To a habit to a life full of everything we see
I'll just keep a clear mind and a wise tongue
Every day's a clean slate I've only just begun