It Was What It Was

Back in school when the days ran long

Stayed after class while the whole yard swong

Dice game rolling, everybody knew

From the far side music was blasting through

We were young, loud, caught in the grind

Trying to outtalk what was on our mind

Then this brother stepped up, acting mean

Later found out that his name was Dean

From the sideline, I could feel that spark

Old school days, we were wild and sharp

No crown on my head, but I stood my ground

When the pressure rose, I never backed down

It was what it was, that block-side scene

All that pride and heat in between

St Liz fence, yeah, you know that line

Cross it once, then you cross that line

It was what it was, no lie, no bluff

Too much talk and the air got rough

I took him to the hoop, no reason I knew

Just the kind of thing that the young ones do

He started talking trash, trying to test my name

So the whole damn yard turned into a game

I was the king of the block in my own right

Back then every step felt like a fight

If you doubted me once, I gave you a chance

Doubt me again and you’d learn to dance

From the sideline, I could feel that spark

Old school days, we were wild and sharp

No crown on my head, but I stood my ground

When the pressure rose, I never backed down

It was what it was, that block-side scene

All that pride and heat in between

St Liz fence, yeah, you know that line

Cross it once, then you cross that line

It was what it was, no lie, no bluff

Too much talk and the air got rough

Now I look back and I see that kid

All that anger from the things we did

Names fade out but the echoes stay

In the schoolyard dust where we used to play

Maybe time makes the sharp edges blur

But that loud old night still feels like a blur

It was what it was, that block-side scene

All that pride and heat in between

St Liz fence, yeah, you know that line

Cross it once, then you cross that line

It was what it was, no lie, no bluff

Too much talk and the air got roughYeah, it was what it was back then

School yard ghosts and the names of men

And if you know that place, you know that sound

Still rolling in my head when the lights go down