Mind Playin' Tricks On Me
Geto Boys Lyrics

At night I can't sleep, I toss and turn
I suffer from insomnia and am restless

Candle sticks in the dark, visions of bodies being burned
I have disturbing thoughts and hallucinations

Four walls just staring at a nigga
I feel trapped and isolated

I'm paranoid, sleeping with my finger on the trigga
I'm constantly on edge and ready to defend myself

My momma's always stressing I ain't living right
My mother worries about my lifestyle choices

But I ain't going out without a fight
I will protect myself and fight back

See, everytime my eyes close
Whenever I try to sleep

I start sweatin', and blood starts comin' out my nose
I have anxiety attacks and physical symptoms

It's somebody watchin' the Ak'
I feel like someone is spying on me

But I don't know who it is, so I'm watchin my back
I am cautious and wary of potential danger

I can see him when I'm deep in the covers
I have vivid nightmares and feel unsafe even in bed

When I awake I don't see the motherfucker
The source of my fears is not visible in reality

He owns a black hat like I own
The imagined person shares similarities with me

A black suit and a cane like my own
The imagined person has elements of my appearance

Some might say "Take a chill, B"
Some people might advise me to calm down

But fuck that shit, there's a nigga trying to kill me
I am convinced that someone intends to harm me

I'm poppin' in a clip when the wind blows
I react impulsively and perceive threats even in harmless situations

Every twenty seconds got me peepin' out my window
I am constantly vigilant and checking for danger

Investigatin' the joint for traps
I am suspicious of my surroundings and looking for booby traps

Checkin' my telephone for taps
I am paranoid that my phone is being monitored

I'm starin' at the woman on the corner
I am fixated on strangers and suspicious of their motives

It's fucked up when your mind is playin' tricks on ya
It's distressing when one's thoughts are irrational and paranoid

I make big money, I drive big cars
I am wealthy and successful

Everybody know me, it's like I'm a movie star
I am famous and well-known

But late at night, somethin ain't right
I have a sense of unease and danger

I feel I'm being tailed by the same sucker's head lights
I suspect that someone is following me

Is it that fool that I ran off the block
I suspect someone I had an altercation with

Or is it that nigga last week that I shot
I suspect someone I had a conflict with

Or is it the one I beat for five thousand dollars
I suspect someone I cheated or stole from

Thought he had 'caine but it was Gold Medal Flour
I tricked someone into buying fake drugs

Reach under my seat, grabbed my popper for the suckers
I am prepared to use my weapon to defend myself

Ain't no use to be lying, I was scareder than a motherfucker
I was terrified and anxious

Hooked a left into Popeye's and beared down quick
I made a sudden turn to evade my pursuer

If it's going down let's get this shit over with
If there's going to be a confrontation, let's get it done

Here they come, just like I figured
My suspicion was correct and they are approaching

I got my hand on the motherfucking trigger
I am ready to shoot if necessary

What I saw'll make your ass start giggling
The ensuing fight was comical

Three blind, crippled and crazy senior citizens
The people I fought were unlikely opponents

I live by the sword
I am willing to use violence to solve problems

I take my boys everywhere I go, because I'm paranoid
I feel safer when accompanied by my friends

I keep looking over my shoulder and peeping around corners
I remain vigilant and suspicious of my surroundings

My mind is playin' tricks on me
My thoughts and fears are irrational and paranoid

Day by day it's more impossible to cope
I'm finding it increasingly difficult to deal with my anxieties

I feel like I'm the one that's doin' dope
My emotional state resembles drug addiction

Can't keep a steady hand because I'm nervous
I experience trembling and anxiety

Every Sunday mornin' I'm in service
I attend church for spiritual guidance

Praying for forgiveness
I am seeking absolution for my sins

And trying to find an exit out of the business
I want to leave my dangerous lifestyle

I know the Lord is looking at me
I am aware of God's presence and judgment

But yet and still it's hard for me to feel happy
I struggle to find joy and peace despite my faith

I often drift when I drive
I am distracted and unfocused while driving

Havin fatal thoughts of suicide
I consider killing myself as a way out

BANG and get it over with
I briefly consider ending my life

And then I'm worry-free, but that's bullshit
I know that suicide would not solve my problems

I got a little boy to look after
I have a son that depends on me

And if I died then my child would be a bastard
If I killed myself, my son would be fatherless

I had a woman down with me
I had a girlfriend who supported me

But to me it seemed like she was down to get me
I suspected that she had ulterior motives

She helped me out in this shit
She was supportive of my lifestyle

But to me she was just another bitch
I ultimately regarded her with contempt

Now she's back with her mother
She left me and went back to her family

Now I'm realizing that I love her
Now that she's gone, I miss and regret losing her

Now I'm feeling lonely
I am experiencing sadness and isolation

This year Halloween fell on a weekend
This happened during the Halloween weekend

Me and Geto Boyz are trick-or-treating
Myself and my group of friends were celebrating Halloween

Robbing little kids for bags
We were stealing candy from young trick-or-treaters

Till a law man got behind our ass
A police officer started trailing us

So we speeded up the pace
We tried to outrun the police

Took a look back and he was right before our face
The police officer was close behind us

He'd be in for a squable no doubt
I was ready to fight the police officer

So I swung and hit the nigga in his mouth
I punched the police officer

He was going down, we figga'd
We assumed we won the fight

But this wasn't no ordinary nigga
The police officer was not a typical opponent

He stood about six or seven feet
He was an exceptionally tall man

Now, that's the nigga I'd been seeing in my sleep
I had imagined this particular person in my paranoid thoughts

So we triple-teamed on him
All of us attacked him together

Dropping them motherfuckin beads on him
We beat him mercilessly

The more I swung the more blood flew
I was inflicting severe injuries on the man

Then he disappeared and my boys disappeared, too
Suddenly, the man vanished and my friends were gone

Then I felt just like a fiend
I realized my actions were violent and amoral

It wasn't even close to Halloween
It was not even Halloween anymore

It was dark as fuck on the streets
The surroundings were very dark and eerie

My hands were all bloody from punching on the concrete
My hands were injured and covered in blood

God damn, homie
Exclamation of shock and dismay