I can't, I won't, I can't, I won't
Let you leave
I don't know what you want
You want more from me?

She said to him
"I want you to be a father
He's your little boy and you don't even bother
Like "brother" without the are
And he's starting to harbor
Cool and food for thought
But for you he's a starver
Starting to use red markers on his work
His teacher say they know he's much smarter
But he's hurt
Used to hand his homework in first
Like he was the classroom starter
Burst to tears
Let them know she see us
Now he's fighting in class
Got a note last week that say he might not pass
Ask me if his daddy was sick of us
'Cause you ain't never pick him up
You see what his problem is?
He don't know where his poppa is
No positive male role model
To play football and build railroad models
It's making a hole you've been digging it
'Cause you ain't been kicking it
Since he was old enough to hold bottles
Wasn't supposed to get introduced to that
He don't deserve to get used to that
Now I ain't asking you for money or to come back to me
Some days it ain't sunny but it ain't so hard
Just breaks my heart
When I try to provide and he say, "Mommy that ain't your job"
To be a man, I try to make him understand
That I'm his number one fan
But its like he born from the stands
You know the world is out to get him, so why don't you give him a chance?"

I can't, I won't, I can't, I won't
Let you leave
I don't know what you want
You want more from me?

So he said to him
"I want you to be a father
I'm your little boy and you don't even bother
Like "brother" without the are
And I'm starting to harbor
Cool and food for thought
But for you I'm a starver
Starting to use red markers on my work
My teacher say they know I'm much smarter
But I'm hurt
I used to hand my homework in first
Like I was the classroom starter
Burst to tears
Let them know he see us
Now I'm fighting in class
Got a note last week that say I might not pass
Kids ask me if my daddy is sick of us
'Cause you ain't never pick me up
You see what my problem is?
That I don't know where my poppa is
No positive male role model
To play football and build railroad models
It's making a hole you've been digging it
'Cause you ain't been kicking it
Since I was old enough to hold bottles
Wasn't supposed to get introduced to that
I don't deserve to get used to that
Now I ain't asking you for money or to come back to me
Some days it ain't sunny but it ain't so hard
Just breaks my heart
When my momma try to provide and I tell her, "That ain't your job"
To be a man, she try to make me understand
That she my number one fan
But its like you born from the stands
You know the world is out to get me, why don't you give me a chance?"

I can't, I won't, I can't, I won't
Let you leave
I don't know what you want
You want more from me?

I can't, I won't, I can't, I won't
Let you leave
I don't know what you want
You want more from me?

I can't, I won't, I can't, I won't
Let you leave

Copyright: BMG Rights Management, Royalty Network
Writer(s): BURT BACHARACH, BURT F. BACHARACH, HAL DAVID, LUPE FIASCO, WASALU MUHAMMAD JACO