Back in the Day
Ahmad Lewis Lyrics

Back in the days when I was young I'm not a kid anymore
I am no longer a child and miss the simplicity of my youth.

But some days I sit and wish I was a kid again
Despite the hardship, some days the singer wishes they could go back to their childhood.

I remember (back in the days)
The singer recalls their youth.

When I just a little gigolo
The artist was a young boy.

I looked up to my bigger bro
The artist idolized their older brother.

Begged if I could kick it so
The singer asked to hang out with their older brother.

When he went out with girls I could go taggin along
The singer would ask to come along when his brother went out on dates.

Naggin if she had a sis maybe could mack a baby hoodrat
The artist would ask if the date had a sister so he could flirt with her.

Y'all remember way back then, when it was 1985
The artist is reminiscing about the year 1985.

All the way live, I think I was about ten
The artist was around ten years old in 1985.

One of those happy little niggas singin the blues
The singer was a child who was happy but still had struggles.

That be always tryin to bag with the shag and karate shoes
The artist would try to impress girls with his hairstyle and clothing.

Sayin "Yo momma black, his momma this, his momma that"
The singer was using jokes about mothers to tease others.

Then he get mad and wanna scrap
If someone got angry, they would want to fight.

We stay mad about, ten minutes then it's like back on the bike
After a fight, the kids would quickly forget and return to playing.

To play hide and go get it with the younger hoes by the bungaloes
The kids would play a game with younger girls by the bungalows.

Then switch to playin ding dong ditch, when that gets
The kids would then switch to a game of ringing doorbells and running.

Old and too cold to hack it, threw on a bomber jacket
When it got too cold to play outside, the kids would put on warm jackets.

You could tell the ballers cuz they bell wearin Gazelles
The singer could identify the popular kids by their shoes.

And if they really had money raised be sportin BK's
If someone had money, they would wear expensive shoes.

And, all the girls had they turkish link
The girls had a popular style of necklace.

If it broke then they made earrings to it, like they meant to do it
If the necklace broke, the girls would turn it into earrings and make it look intentional.

But, sometimes, I still sit and reminesce
The singer still thinks about their childhood sometimes.

Then, think about the years I was raised, back in the days
The artist reflects on their upbringing and past.

(and everybody say) (I remember way back when)
Others have similar memories of times past.

(what?) (back in the day) (when?) (back in the day)
Others also reflect on the past.

I'm still back in the days, but now the year is '87
The singer is still thinking about the past but now it's 1987.

'88 that's when my crew and I were in junior high
In 1988, the artist and their friends were in junior high school.

In 7th grade, I hated school wish it'd blown up
The artist disliked school so much that they wished for it to be destroyed.

No doubt I couldn't wait to get out (and be a grownup)
The singer couldn't wait to be an adult and leave school behind.

But let me finish this reminescin and tellin
The singer interrupts their reminiscing to continue telling their story.

Bout when girls was bellin tight courderoys like for the boys
The girls would wear tight corduroy pants that were meant for boys.

Basket weaves, Nike Cortez, and footsie socks
The artist describes popular shoes and socks from the time.

And eatin pickles, with tootsie pops
The kids would eat pickles and Tootsie Pops together.

And it don't stop, I'm glad cuz when J.J. Fad hit
The singer is happy that things keep progressing and changing.

Supersonic it was kinda like a sport to wear biker shorts
Wearing biker shorts was very popular after the song 'Supersonic' was released.

Or, to wear jeans and it seemed like the masses
Jeans were another popular clothing item that everyone seemed to wear.

Of hoochies, had poison airbrushed on they asses
Girls would often have airbrushed designs on their clothing and accessories.

Dudes, had on Nike suits, and the Pumas with
Boys wore Nike tracksuits and Puma shoes.

The fat laces, cuz it was either that or K-Swiss
Fat shoelaces were popular, and people would wear either Pumas or K-Swiss shoes.

I miss those days, and so I pout like a grown jerk
The artist misses the past and sometimes acts immaturely and whiny because of it.

Wishin all I had to do now, was finish homework
The singer wishes they could go back to the simplicity of just having homework to do.

It's true, you don't realize really what you got til it's gone
People often don't appreciate what they have until they no longer have it.

And I'm not, gonna sing another sad song, but
The artist won't dwell on their sadness or sing a sad song about missing the past.

Sometimes I do sit and reminesce then
Despite not wanting to be sad, the artist sometimes still thinks about the past.

Think about the years I was raised, back in the days
The artist reflects on their past and upbringing.

Well, it's the niggerole, I figure that now I'm all grown up
The singer acknowledges that they are now an adult.

Because I'm eighteen years old, and guess you could say I'm holdin
The artist is eighteen and financially stable.

Down a steady job and crew steady mobbin
The singer has a steady job and is hanging out with their friends.

You steady bobbin your head and I'm paid, so I got it made
The singer notices that someone is nodding their head to the music and reflects on their own financial stability.

But, didn't always have clout, used to live in South Central L.A
The singer didn't always have money or status and grew up in an area of Los Angeles known for poverty and crime.

That's where I stayed and figured a way out
Despite the challenges of their upbringing, the artist was able to overcome them.

I gave it all I had so for what it's worth
The artist worked hard to achieve their current success.

I went, from rags to riches which is a drag but now I'm first
The singer went from being poor to being successful, which has its challenges but is ultimately satisfying.

So Ahmad and The Jones' is on our way up
The singer and their group are on their way to further success.

Yup, we said that we was gonna make it since a kid
The artist and their friends always believed they would be successful.

And we finally did, but
The artist has achieved success, but there is still some sadness because of the nostalgia for the past.

Sometimes I still sit there reminescin
Despite their success, the artist still thinks about the past.

Back in the days
The singer repeatedly reflects on the past.

I got jacked for mines
The artist was robbed of their belongings.

You sound like a white dude "Hey I got jacked for mines!"
This could be a reference to racist assumptions about the way Black people speak.

Aight, aight
This is an interjection used to indicate that the conversation is over.