The Gates
₪ cunninlynguists Lyrics

Tell the Reverend Harris to pray for me, Lord
I am about to die and I need prayers

I ain't gonna live
I am going to die soon

I don't believe I'm gonna live to get much older
I don't think I will survive for much longer

Lights out, so peaceful, stressless
The transition into death is peaceful

Things used to seem so restless
Life used to be tumultuous and full of struggles

Forgive me please, see I need to address this
I need to express something important and ask for forgiveness

Just haven't been this breathless since I met this
I haven't felt this breathless since I met a particular woman

Woman who lept into my life when I was reckless
A woman came into my life when I was irresponsible

Mothered my blessed kid, but was destined to exit early
She gave birth to my child, but her life was cut short

Guess you can say I've been blessed with the best gifts
I have been fortunate to receive the best gifts in life

Reminiscing, holding her necklace in my clenched fist
I am remembering her by holding onto her necklace tightly

Ha, it's funny how we move in sudden directions
Life can take unexpected turns

Dedicated my life to the public's protection
I have devoted my life to serving the community

Never remarried cause love's an investment
I haven't remarried because I view love as a serious commitment

Besides, I had a baby girl to worry about
I had to focus on raising my daughter

That would struggle to blend in
She would have difficulties fitting in with society

Now as I think, a weightlessness is interrupting my senses
I am starting to feel a sense of weightlessness as I die

A pulsing tension carries my very frame
I am feeling a tense pulse throughout my body

I rise up in ascension - WAIT!
I feel like I am rising up, but something stops me

I try to escape, but I arrive at these gates
I attempt to leave, but I end up at the gates

I see a figure standing guard who invites me to pray
There is a figure at the gates who tells me to pray

I tried it all
I tried everything

At the gates of Hell
I am at the entrance of Hell

I'm going to lay
I am going to rest and face judgement

Down, down
I am going down into Hell

I walk towards the figure that's extending it's hand
I approach the figure that is offering its hand

I move to enter past the gates yet I'm met with it's grasp
When I try to enter, the figure stops me with its grip

Slow down son, there's things to discuss such as family
Before entering Hell, there are important things to talk about

But first, let us talk about vanity
But first, let's discuss the sin of vanity

Vanity? Man, you're sadly mistaken
You are wrong to accuse me of vanity

Either that or your sanity's shaken
You must be crazy or delusional to think that

If you'd examine me patiently
If you took the time to understand me

You'd retract on your statement
You would take back your accusation

I haven't sinned flagrantly, I've acted as faithfully
I haven't committed any obvious sins, I have acted with faith

As any other single father
I have raised my daughter as any other single father would

Who raised a baby girl graciously
I have raised my daughter well

Nakedly, she was at your door after her mother's death
My daughter sought refuge with you after her mother's death

Ignorant to racial anger and other stress
She did not understand the anger and stress caused by race

Later had a mixed baby at her sweet sixteen
My daughter had a mixed-race baby at a young age

How did that fit within your picnic scene?
How did that fit into your perfect image of life?

Sometimes it's too late to fix these things
Sometimes there's no fixing certain situations

The pristine dream was over
The perfect dream was no longer possible

Had to face the fact she split these genes with his sick seed
I had to accept that my daughter had a baby with someone undesirable

With skin the darkest pigment seen
The baby had very dark skin

And so I kicked and screamed
I was angry and upset

Until we found the peace that distance brings
We had to separate ourselves to find peace

A mixed raced queen, that was your thoughts about her mama
You thought of my daughter's mother as a mixed-race queen

Up yonder went her soul, your hate growed from ponders
After her death, you grew to hate her

On life, being less trife with a white wife
You believe that life would be easier with a white wife

So any instance of y'alls differences it was slice-slice
You were quick to end any disagreements by cutting ties

Oh my, it's not her race, my daughter's love flies blind
My daughter doesn't see race when it comes to love

I couldn't take her making the same mistakes that crushed my life
I didn't want my daughter to make the same mistakes I did

I'm dumbstruck by these baseless allegations
I am speechless about these unfounded accusations

I've saved too many lives of all creeds
I have saved lives regardless of their race or religion

For you to paint me as a racist
It is wrong for you to accuse me of being a racist

I've endangered my own safety to save babies from blazes
I have risked my life to save babies from fires

Black, white, latino, even asian on occasion
I have saved people of all races

But why so?
Why are you questioning my motivation?

How dare you question my motivation!
You have no right to question my intentions

No need to second guess, your only aim was to be famous
Your only goal was to become famous, and you're now trying to tarnish my reputation

Lord knows, you've left behind scorched souls
You have left behind many people who have been hurt

Black children left chilling, later found burnt whole
You have failed to save black children who have died in fires

So sadly, your glory's to come urgently
Sadly, your moment of glory will come only at the end when people will realize the truth

Sentenced to fight fires for eternity
Your punishment is to fight fires forever