Prayers in a Song by Tall Paul Lyrics
[Verse 1]
I feel the latent effects of assimilation
Inner city Native raised by bright lights, sky scrapers
Born with dim prospects, little peace in living
As a child, hot headed bout the fact I wasn't wild
Like they called my ancestors, imagined what it'd be
To live nomadic off the land and free
Instead I was full of heat like a furnace cause I wasn't furnished
With language and traditional ways of my peeps
Yeah I used to feel like I wasn't truly indigenous
Now I say miigwech gichi-manidoo
For showing me my true roots, definitely Native
Take responsibility for being educated
My people and customs originating from early phases
Of history it's, deeper than frybread
And contest pow-wows, tears shed in the sweat lodge
Prayers go out to all those I've wronged
And who have wronged me gotta treat em like family
[Hook]
Gichi-manido wiidookawishin ji-mashkawiziyaan
(Great Spirit help me to be strong)
Mii dash bami'idiziyaan
(So that I can help myself)
Miizhishinaam zaagi'iiwewin
(Show us all love)
Ganoozh ishinaam, bizindaw ishinaam
(Talk to us, hear us)
Mii-wenji nagamoyaan
(That is why I am singing)
Nimishomis wiidookawishinaam ji-aabajitooyaang anishinaabe izhitwaawin
(Grand father help us to use the Anishinaabe customs)
Mii-ji-bi-gikendamaan keyaa anishinaabe bimaadiziwin
(So that we'll know how to live the Anishinaabe way/the good life)
[Verse 2]
Becoming aware of a heart beats fragility
So I, pray for my creator's will and humility
It seems my prayer's weak I can't speak, not a linguist
Does he hear my English when I vent I fear the answer
To the question, this is symbolic of anguish
I feel regarding language and the obligation of revitalizing
Something sacred, failure to carry through is disgracing
A Nation, my first tongue's in need of a face lift but
Deciphering conjugation's like trying to find
My way through a maze in the matrix, complex
Hard to start without an end aside from being fluent
I gotta push the limit if I'm gonna keep pursuing
So I, use it in a way that relates to my life and vocab
Bring some entertainment to it, spit it on a track
And I take it out the class, can't let what I lack
Become a self-defeating habit that'll make me want to quit
[Hook]
[Verse 3]
It's farfetched but Grandfather please help me learn it
Help me assist in keeping it from burning
Don't let me quit and flee from working for a worthy purpose
Enlighten me and help me comprehend effects of my service
I need a spark in my desire from something higher
Prior to negative reminders killing my stride
Sometimes I'm the type that likes getting results
Overnight, without sweating or stressing overnight
So I pray
Creator give me strength, so I can move on
Creator show us love, so it can spread around
Communicate with us, from above, hear me now
My prayers in a song I speak em out loud
Grandfather help us to revitalize the language
And ways so we walk the Red Road
That you paved,communicate with us from above
Hear me now, my prayers in a song I speak em out loud
I feel the latent effects of assimilation
Inner city Native raised by bright lights, sky scrapers
Born with dim prospects, little peace in living
As a child, hot headed bout the fact I wasn't wild
Like they called my ancestors, imagined what it'd be
To live nomadic off the land and free
Instead I was full of heat like a furnace cause I wasn't furnished
With language and traditional ways of my peeps
Yeah I used to feel like I wasn't truly indigenous
Now I say miigwech gichi-manidoo
For showing me my true roots, definitely Native
Take responsibility for being educated
My people and customs originating from early phases
Of history it's, deeper than frybread
And contest pow-wows, tears shed in the sweat lodge
Prayers go out to all those I've wronged
And who have wronged me gotta treat em like family
[Hook]
Gichi-manido wiidookawishin ji-mashkawiziyaan
(Great Spirit help me to be strong)
Mii dash bami'idiziyaan
(So that I can help myself)
Miizhishinaam zaagi'iiwewin
(Show us all love)
Ganoozh ishinaam, bizindaw ishinaam
(Talk to us, hear us)
Mii-wenji nagamoyaan
(That is why I am singing)
Nimishomis wiidookawishinaam ji-aabajitooyaang anishinaabe izhitwaawin
(Grand father help us to use the Anishinaabe customs)
Mii-ji-bi-gikendamaan keyaa anishinaabe bimaadiziwin
(So that we'll know how to live the Anishinaabe way/the good life)
[Verse 2]
Becoming aware of a heart beats fragility
So I, pray for my creator's will and humility
It seems my prayer's weak I can't speak, not a linguist
Does he hear my English when I vent I fear the answer
To the question, this is symbolic of anguish
I feel regarding language and the obligation of revitalizing
Something sacred, failure to carry through is disgracing
A Nation, my first tongue's in need of a face lift but
Deciphering conjugation's like trying to find
My way through a maze in the matrix, complex
Hard to start without an end aside from being fluent
I gotta push the limit if I'm gonna keep pursuing
So I, use it in a way that relates to my life and vocab
Bring some entertainment to it, spit it on a track
And I take it out the class, can't let what I lack
Become a self-defeating habit that'll make me want to quit
[Hook]
[Verse 3]
It's farfetched but Grandfather please help me learn it
Help me assist in keeping it from burning
Don't let me quit and flee from working for a worthy purpose
Enlighten me and help me comprehend effects of my service
I need a spark in my desire from something higher
Prior to negative reminders killing my stride
Sometimes I'm the type that likes getting results
Overnight, without sweating or stressing overnight
So I pray
Creator give me strength, so I can move on
Creator show us love, so it can spread around
Communicate with us, from above, hear me now
My prayers in a song I speak em out loud
Grandfather help us to revitalize the language
And ways so we walk the Red Road
That you paved,communicate with us from above
Hear me now, my prayers in a song I speak em out loud