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Title: Hold Your Own
Artist: Blade
Label: 691 Influential
Year: 1993
Album: The Lion Goes From Strength To Strength
Cat #: Blade 1207

Last Modified: 13th April 2004
Transcribed by: Flat 4
Contact: flat4@ukhh.com
Artist Discography

Blade:
Put your mouth on pause, hear the words as I cause the terror
Me and the boys are in the area
Hittin' you hard, you see me with a travelcard
From a couple of clubs I get barred
As I walk the streets I look around
Some of them are down and out, beaten to the ground
But I know that it's an everyday thing
Not everyone can live like the queen or king so I sing
Every once in a while I get tense
Tryin' to work it out so I know every thin' makes sense
But it's hard, I know somethin' has got to give
I'm the positive, never the negative
So I go on livin' like I used to
Sayin' "Yo! What's up?" without knowin' who's who
All the same people raise their hand and wave
While I'm thinkin' of the money I could've saved
If only I knew in the days what I know now
A little know-how, it hurt so I say "Ow!"
They used to treat me like dirt, never could pull a skirt
'cause I never wore a tie and a damn shirt
And shoes to match, we got to start from scratch
See the eggs hatch, too quick to catch
The vapours, I don't owe you favours
Read the papers, see me gettin' famous
You're talkin' out your anus, how much you payin' us
Radio stations are playin' us
From day to day, swing it any which way you can
Put up a hand and get busy
As I drop the truth about a duck
I wish 'em luck, he says that I sound like Chuck
(D Public Enemy number 1)
Jerk yourself while I get the job done son
Run, run, if you think you can catch us
I make a livin' while another one bites the dust
And I don't trust the man from around the way
hey so stay the motherhell away

Broke as hell, but still I rebel against the foe
Go toe to toe just to let them know
They wanna give me money but I want full control
'cause I'm a man with soul playin' a role
People always insist that I sign a deal and get it over and done with
See who you run with
I'm just the type with the morals to stick to
The one without the morals is the one that tricked you
Watch your back for the backstabber
Keep your money well away from the fuckin' money-grabber
Down in the avenue, see who's havin' who
It ain't over till I'm through.....get with this

Hold your own, the beggar couldn't be a chooser
That's what they used to say, but I refuse to
Listen to the hunkidory ways of a crackpot
I set the goal, so I'm goin' for the jackpot
Harder the better, I put it in a long letter
To the enemy to show that I'm the go-getta
Goin' against those who walk with their noses up
You know what time it is 'cause you know your time is up
Slow the pace, givin' you time to show your face
Follow the ways of the 'Lyrical
Maniac' when I plug in the phono to jack
I'm a lover of rap, but I ain't black
Nor am I white, but a simple Armenian
Never the product, but a human being
Even though you see the record stacked on the shelf
When I walk the streets I wanna be myself
So when you see me around this is for the best
Don't say a word about how you think I ought to dress
'cause what makes a man is how he conducts himself
You wear a suit but everyday I see you kick yourself
'cause you did somethin' that you never should've did
You're confused and actin' like a fuckin' kid
Stop the cryin', think what you're buyin'
There's no need for lyin', or even relyin' on
Others to do what you could do for yourself
Get your lazy ass off the shelf
And pull yourself together, never let it drag on
Some use the heavy heavy beat just to brag on
But that's a waste of the seconds that tick away
Or maybe they got nothin' better to say
Ay yo, you could be the one to defeat the competition
But me I'm on a mission.

(14th March 1991 )