Never
The Roots Feat. Patty Crash Lyrics


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Street dreams, close your eyes
Take a bite to the memory
Street dreams, this is the moment
The moment that feels like forever
This is the end to where I began
And it feels like forever
They say time flies down from sky and says never
I look down, all I see is never
And all I know is all I know

I was born faceless in an oasis
Folks disappear here and leave no traces
No family ties nigga no laces
Less than a full deck nigga no aces
Waitin' on Superman losing all patience
Gettin' wasted on an everyday basis
I'm stuck here can't take a vacation
So fuck it, this shit is damnation
This is reality mane
Ain't no surprise I've been bangin' without any mane
What is this gotta be brave
When into the night I'm going to go quietly mane
Life is a bitch and then you live
Until one day by death you're found
I tried to keep both of my feet on the ground
But I know my head is surrounded by clouds
Spirallin' down, destined to drown
Forever is just a collection of nows
Off on my own, nowhere is my home
Approaching infinities fork in the road
When I was young something I often was told
It's not a bargain if it costs you your soul
Costs you your pride, caution aside
I'm gone with the wind and I'm long for the ride
Wish I could rest and open my eyes
But time ain't finna fly down from the sky
A place where the lonely love
Not another soul's there, only us

Street dreams, close your eyes
Take a bite to the memory
Street dreams, this is the moment
The moment that feels like forever
This is the end to where I began
And it feels like forever
They say time flies down from sky and says never
I look down, all I see is never
And all I know is all I know

I woke with a tear drop
All I know is what I know
I woke with a tear drop
All I know is what I know




It's all I know
All I know

Overall Meaning

The Roots's song Never is a poignant and melancholic reflection on the struggles of life and the inevitability of death. The song explores the themes of isolation, despair, and the elusive nature of time. The opening lines of the song, "Street dreams, close your eyes, take a bite to the memory", suggest a desire to escape from reality and retreat into the past, where memories can be savored and time seems to stand still. The chorus repeats the words "This is the moment that feels like forever, and it feels like forever," conveying a sense of timelessness and the yearning for something permanent in a world that is constantly changing.


The lyrics of the first verse paint a bleak picture of a life devoid of meaning and purpose. The singer describes himself as "born faceless in an oasis," suggesting that he feels invisible and insignificant in a world where others thrive. He goes on to say that he has "no family ties, no laces, and no aces," indicating a lack of social and economic capital. The line "I'm stuck here, can't take a vacation, so fuck it, this shit is damnation" expresses a profound sense of hopelessness and frustration, as if life has become a prison from which there is no escape. The verse ends with the realization that "life is a bitch and then you live, until one day by death you're found." This line captures the impermanence and transitory nature of human existence and hints at the inevitability of our mortality.


The second verse continues the somber tone of the song, suggesting that the singer is resigned to his fate and has accepted the hardships of life. The line "Forever is just a collection of nows" reinforces the idea that time is fleeting and that our lives consist of a series of fleeting moments that will one day be forgotten. The verse also touches on the theme of what it means to be alive, with phrases such as "What is this gotta be brave, when into the night I'm going to go quietly mane," suggesting that courage in the face of death is a noble but ultimately futile gesture. The final line of the verse, "Not a bargain if it costs you your soul," suggests that the singer has come to the conclusion that our lives are only worth living if we stay true to our values and principles, even if that means sacrificing our desires in the short term.


Line by Line Meaning

Street dreams, close your eyes
Let your imagination run wild and visualize a world where anything is possible


Take a bite to the memory
Savor the moments that make life worth living and memorize them so they can be cherished forever


Street dreams, this is the moment
This is the time to chase your dreams and make them a reality, to not let time slip away before it's too late


The moment that feels like forever
This moment is so special that it feels like it will last forever, and that feeling should be treasured


This is the end to where I began
This is the end of the journey, reaching a place that was once the starting point


And it feels like forever
The moment is so powerful that it feels like it will never end


They say time flies down from sky and says never
Time is constantly moving forward and can never be reversed, so make the most of each moment


I look down, all I see is never
Looking ahead, the future seems uncertain and daunting, as if time is standing still


And all I know is all I know
Despite the uncertainty of the future, all that is known is what can be controlled in the present moment


I was born faceless in an oasis
Born into a world of unknowns, where one has to learn to survive and adapt to their surroundings


Folks disappear here and leave no traces
The world can be a cruel and unforgiving place, where people can disappear without a trace and be forgotten


Waitin' on Superman losing all patience
Hoping for a savior or someone to come to the rescue, when all that can be relied on is oneself


Gettin' wasted on an everyday basis
Escaping reality and drowning out the pain through self-destructive behavior


I'm stuck here can't take a vacation
Feeling trapped and unable to break free from the struggles of life, unable to take a break or catch a break


This is reality mane
This is the harsh and unforgiving reality of life, a struggle that one has to face head on


Ain't no surprise I've been bangin' without any mane
Fighting and struggling to survive, without any support or help from others


What is this gotta be brave
Questioning what it means to be brave in a world where survival is the ultimate challenge


When into the night I'm going to go quietly mane
When death ultimately comes, it will come quietly, and one has to be prepared to face it


Life is a bitch and then you live
Life can be hard and difficult to navigate, but it's important to keep living and fighting despite the challenges


Until one day by death you're found
One's journey in life will ultimately come to an end with death


I tried to keep both of my feet on the ground
Trying to remain grounded and humble in the midst of life's struggles


But I know my head is surrounded by clouds
Despite trying to stay grounded, the mind can still be clouded with confusion and uncertainty


Spirallin' down, destined to drown
Falling deeper into despair and feeling powerless to prevent it


Forever is just a collection of nows
The concept of forever is just an accumulation of present moments, so make the most of each one


Off on my own, nowhere is my home
Feeling like an outsider and not belonging anywhere, as if home is a place that doesn't exist


Approaching infinities fork in the road
Life is full of choices, and there are many different paths that one can take, some leading to infinite possibilities


When I was young something I often was told
As a child, hearing advice and wisdom from others about how to navigate life


It's not a bargain if it costs you your soul
Making choices that compromise one's values and true self are not worth it in the end


Costs you your pride, caution aside
Making choices that go against one's pride and self-respect, without any thought to the consequences


I'm gone with the wind and I'm long for the ride
Going with the flow and not trying to control every aspect of life, leaving oneself open to new experiences


Wish I could rest and open my eyes
Feeling tired and wishing for a moment of peace and rest, to be able to see things more clearly


But time ain't finna fly down from the sky
Time is constantly moving forward and can't be stopped or reversed


A place where the lonely love
Finding beauty in solitude and learning to love oneself even in moments of loneliness


Not another soul's there, only us
In moments of solitude, the only company one has is themselves


I woke with a tear drop
Waking up feeling emotional and overcome with feelings of sadness or grief


All I know is what I know
Despite everything, all that is certain is what has been experienced and learned in the past


It's all I know
Despite the uncertainty of the future and the unknowns ahead, holding onto what is known is what provides comfort and stability




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TARIK L. COLLINS, AHMIR K. THOMPSON, GREGORY ALLEN JR. SPEARMAN, MICHAEL ANTHONY, ADRIAN CHARLIE GUZMAN, ADOLFO SALAZAR, KATRIN NEWMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@jimenadavila9790

Street dreams, close your eyes
Say goodbye to the memory
Street dreams, this is the moment
The moment that feels like forever
This is the end to where I began
And it feels like forever
They say time flies
Down from the sky and says never
I look down, all I see is never
And all I know is all I know
I was born faceless in an oasis
Folks disappear here and leave no traces
No family ties, nigga no laces
Less than a full deck, nigga no aces
Waitin' on Superman, losing all patience
Gettin' wasted on an everyday basis
I'm stuck here, can't take a vacation
So fuck it, this shit is damnation
This is reality mane
Ain't no surprise, I've been bangin' without any mane
What is this? Gotta be brave
When into the night, I'ma go quietly mane
Life is a bitch and then you live
Until one day by death you're found
I tried to keep both of my feet on the ground
But I know my head is surrounded by clouds
Spirallin' down, destined to drown
Forever is just a collection of nows
Off on my own, nowhere is my home
Approaching infinities fork in the road
When I was young something I often was told
It's not a bargain if it costs you your soul
Costs you your pride, caution aside
I'm gone with the wind and I'm long for the ride
Wish I could rest and open my eyes
But time ain't finna fly down from the sky
A place where the lonely love
Not another soul's there, only us
Street dreams, close your eyes
Say goodbye to the memory
Street dreams, this is the moment
The moment that feels like forever
This is the end to where I began
And it feels like forever
They say time flies
Down from sky and says never
I look down, all I see is never
And all I know is all I know
I woke with a tear drop
All I know is all I know
I woke with a tear drop
All I know is all I know
It's all I know
All I know



All comments from YouTube:

@WildfireWiffler44

This is a masterpiece. I honestly don't understand how people don't like this. I'm a huge Roots fan and haven't heard one song that disappointed me. Black Thought is the GOAT! 

@WildfireWiffler44

pro That is definitely a flaw but a true Roots fan would appreciate this album.  I mean even though, the GOAT Black Thought didn't rap much on this album, the production was incredible as usual. 

@spaceboy2095

pro Exactly! (tho, it must be for 6 minutes and a half...) They've wanted to make their kinda experimental album... I never like experimental music, I like when through mainstream you include experimental elements! I'm bored when it's too much experimental! However, the has a very beautiful song : Tomorrow!

@spaceboy2095

Nice! But Black Thought doesn't rap on all The Roots songs, and not all the time, there are other rappers on it! ;-) Still, yeah something with more spitting would be appreciated! lol

@MarkWhippy

pro Black Thought's rapping is only one instrument in the band, I liked the songs for what they were overall not just for one members rapping. Besides they had other guys rapping on there too and their voices might have suited certain songs better. I think Greg Porn's voice suited the pimp character on When The People Cheer and Dice Raw's voice suited the drunken singer on Black Rock

@rachelc9889

If you know the concept, this is a very moving song and video. I love it! Talk about depth, I feel like it speaks to me directly about the stage of life I'm in right now, finding an eternal moment.Beautiful.

@mitchellmiles7929

All of their videos are incredible.  They all seem very deep. 

@divagirl10

I saw them in concert last night. They were off the chain!!!!!

@jennyruiz3056

Love it. Great visuals. Thank you all for keeping this music and the story's going.

@BriMonies

awesome song, roots can do no wrong.

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