2Pac – The Good Die Young with Napoleon, Young Noble, Kastro, E.D.I. Mean and Val Young (Retail Premix Version)
Date: July 22, 1996
Studio: Can-Am Studios, Tarzana, California
Producer: Darryl “Big D” Harper
Samples: Prince – Friend, Lover, Sister, Mother, Wife
Lyrics:
These is hard times we livin’ in
Churches burnin, planes fallin from the sky
Murder, the good die young
The good definitely die young
This is a lil’ somethin’
To help you get through the day
If you could
[Chorus – Val Young]
Can’t you tell me why?
Does anybody have an answer why?
It seems the good die young
Can anybody tell me why?
Can anybody tell me why?
[MAKAVELI]
It was more than a tragedy
Emotions be grabbin’ me
Plane fell from the sky
We tryin’ to figure what happened
Burnin’ churches, fearin’ God
Who can be so cruel
We all ignorant to AIDS
Till it happens to you
Just be a man, make plans
Listen to your voice
A woman’s tryin’ to make decisions
We should leave them a choice
Cause who are we to say who lives and die
Breathes and stops
All this judgement on other lives
Needs to stop
What are we livin’ for
Givin’ more back than takin’
On my knees still waitin’ for my own salvation
Now I feel abandoned
cause Pat Buchanan say I’m greedy
You can take my taxes, send me to war
But can’t feed me
It’s so easy to regret things
After they done
Babies catchin’ murder cases
Scared to laugh in the sun
The tragedies that we all need
Love in doses
In times like these we feel closest
The good die young
[Chorus – Val Young & MAKAVELI]
Does anybody have an answer why (good die young)
It seems the good die young
(Times like these we feel closest)
Can anybody tell me why?
Can anybody tell me why?
(R.I.P. to the fallen soldiers, the good die young)
(R.I.P. God bless the dead)
(The good die young)
Does anybody have an answer why
(Carry on, continue strugglin)
It seems the good die young
(The good die young)
(We’re here for the future, the next generation)
Can anybody tell me why?
Can anybody tell me why?
[Napoleon]
Now in my world will it get worse
When I been trapped since birth
But I had to sleep in a hearse
Cause it was my bed first
My grands probably burnin’
Turnin’ in a grave
Some folks ain’t even get to see a high age
But she did so I ain’t afraid
And this money got me feelin like a star
And this murder got me
Feelin like my death ain’t far
And the land of stolen car
Don’t get no better
Don’t get no weaker or no harder
I was raised in a rush without my moms
And my father
So tell me somethin
If I grab my gat and get the dumpin’
Would God get to lookin’ at me funny?
Rest in peace to my mother Aquillah Beale
Rest in peace to my father Salek Beale
Rest in peace to my grandmother, Mary Clark
You know I love you
[Young Noble]
Which is worst, first Storm and then Al
Pac and then Yak
Redrey Brown
Coulda’ sworn I seen ya face in a cloud
Family grievin’ on your last breath
Close to the heart whether you know it or not
I swear the love won’t stop
Jewel, that’s my boo
Mom, Duke and Lou
From jump
You kept it true, helped to feed the crew
The good die young
Livin’ fast jumpin’ the gun
Mama blamin’ the community for killin’ her son
My cousin Darren wasn’t scared of goin’
But never knowin’ he was dyin’ slower
I guess I see ya when I see ya soulja
[Chorus – Val Young]
Does anybody have an answer why
It seems the good die young
Can anybody tell me why?
Can anybody tell me why?
[Kastro]
I know my life ain’t promised
That’s why the wise move in silence
Analyze scandalous times
It’s hard dogg but we manage
And all probably dead
Livin our lives, so I’m ruined
Ain’t a preacher that can fool me
Ain’t a teacher that can screw me
Since a young soldier, never been sober
Why gettin older
Play this dirty game of life
Makin it hard to keep my hopes up
I’m hopeless, just another lost soul
That lost focus
Homie the good die young
Pay attention and you know this
[E.D.I. Mean]
Days go past and as they pass
Time move quicker
No time for wastin’
Put your hustle down my young dealers
Cause the end is nearer
But at least that’s what they tellin’ me
Hell, all I know brothers
Ain’t ridin’ 4, 3, felonies
It’s time to plan, plot, and strategize
Capitolize, mobilize
We in the war y’all
It’s for all y’all
My family to the ones that stand me
Little bit mo’ love is what’s recommended
Yeah, and it’s plain to see
The seeds from you and me
Gon’ be the ones to lead us towards unity
That’s if we treat them right
Man, teach them right
Raise your kids better than you was
And see what it does
But if you don’t
Man, we sho’ to be done
And we’ll all see exactly why the good die young
[MAKAVELI]
You ain’t lyin man
[Chorus – Val Young]
Does anybody have an answer why
It seems the good die young
Can anybody tell me why?
Can anybody tell me why?
(The good die young)
[Chorus – Val Young]
Does anybody have an answer why
It seems the good die young
Can anybody tell me why?
Can anybody tell me why?
(Good die young)
[Chorus – Val Young]
Does anybody have an answer why
It seems the good die young
Can anybody tell me why?
Can anybody tell me why?
(The good die young)
[Chorus – Val Young (repeats until the end)]
Does anybody have an answer why
It seems the good die young
Can anybody tell me why?
Can anybody tell me why?
[Outro – MAKAVELI]
I send this out for all my homeboys that passed away
And all yo’ homeboys that passed away
I send this out to all the former fallen soldiers
That’s in the cemeteries buried
Never got to see they dreams
For everything I touch you touch
For every step I take you take
For every breath I breathe you breathe
Every dollar I make you make
I told you we’d make it to the sunshine one day
You just got there a little quicker
But like my homeboys Thugs say
I’ll catch ya at the crossroads
The good die young
Starla, for every one of TWA Flight 800
Oklahoma
Lil “Yummy” Sanderford
La’Tasha Harlins
All the fallen kids
The dead babies
The closed caskets
Miniature classics
, Date: July 22, 1996, Can-Am Studios, Tarzana, California, Producer: Darryl "Big D" Harper){kind=link}