Up above my head
I hear the wind whippin'
Here come them ghetto birds again
On every street lamp
Cameras see you from a distance
So the light hittin' off the lens
And how we survive
Brothas still nickle-and-dime
Right underneath those lights
Tight-rope walking their life
It seems the cameras don't work
When we in danger and hurt
Not a siren to be heard
Left for dead in the dirt
Mary, don't you be ashamed to cry
Everywhere you looking
Another soul misguided
Thinking his pistol make him a man
Minimum wage ain't workin'
He want that fast money
Spend it as soon as it touch his hand
Why can't he see
He don't gotta try to be
The bullsh** he hear on CD
Mockery of you and me
And I'll tell you what's worse
Heard it in so many a verse
This ghetto-livin' like a curse
Can't even find truth in the church
Mary, don't you be ashamed to cry
Mary, don't you be ashamed to cry
And now we survive
But it's still nickle-and-dime
Right underneath those lights
Tight-rope walking their life
It seems the cameras don't work
When we in danger and hurt
Not a siren to be heard
Left for dead in the dirt
Mary, don't you be ashamed to cry
Mary, don't you be ashamed to cry
Oh, mother Mary, don't you be ashamed to cry
Don't you be ashamed to cry
Mary, don't you be ashamed to cry