All Lyrics and Music by Raymond Wassef (aka Ray Mann)
The Ray Mann Three (album) – Smile | Hook Me Up | Feels So Good | Gettin Thru | Opa Opa | Morena | Yr Werds | No Way No | I Can See It All Before Me | Nite With You
Sketches (album) – Move | Wannado | Babylon | Showya | Who’s Loving You | Hold Onto Me | Sometimes | Donita | Soapbox | Try | Bleeding | So Long Farewell
Smile
I got a song to sing about everything you mean to me
I promise you this night everything, o every little thing
Will always reside in this very part of my mind
Because I can’t believe you’re here with me
Letting me touch you endlessly
Indulging every one of my fantasies
And if we should only have tonight
I promise you from time to time
I will look back on this and smile
Smile
These things, they come to me
I don’t have to say a word, you’re feeling me
For example:
I just imagine my hand between your thighs,
And – ooh! – there it is
It’s happening effortlessly
Just the way it was meant to be
Just the way these things should always be
I hope that you’ll try to forgive me
If it gets the better of me
And I can do nothing but smile
Smile, Smile
Hook Me Up
I don’t call my friends when I’m far from home
I just hook them up with the cellular tone
With a (beep, beep beep) all in key
I méssage mes amis with the 1-2-3
Now I got the mp3 on the dial
Who woulda thought not a very long time ago
Somebody said, “I need to walk and talk,
It’s the thing that I can bring”
And now this brick be smaller than my card ID
I’m about to lose it underneath my big car keys
J-jingle yr keys, j-j-jingle yr keys
If you never heard sounds like these, j-jingle yr keys
If you ever heard sounds like these
CHORUS
Hook me up with all that’s new
All that’s new, all that’s new
At the first separation it was six degrees
At the friend’s celebration it was five degrees
By the next damn occasion it was four degrees
J-j-jingle yr keys
When my mess became a grime it was three degrees
Put the sparkle in my shine, it was two degrees
Huh, and by the time it was one degree
CHORUS
I’m destitute if I disconnect
So let’s make sure we pay social rent
But of course you know we can never meet
Just defer resolve p-perpetually
Singing, “I don’t really need no techno-ology,
I’m better off, you see, I’m free! Yeah!”
Free to got the hunger, the h-h-hankering
To dine on the finest, the coolest thing
To want the ku and dos and to define the floss
But if you miss the hoop you can’t be in the loop
So I’mma take it on the road, this cumbersome load
And hope the tone can prince-ify this toad
I know what will get me thru
CHORUS
Feels So Good
CHORUS
It feels so good, it feels so good to me
It feels so good, it feels so good
Good, good, good good good
I wake up late this morning and find there’s no-one lying next to me
Just the faintest trace beside me where only I know someone used to be
I don’t know how many times we’ve drawn the same old lines in the sand
I just hope and pray by this time tomorrow we won’t be here again
But it feels so good
CHORUS
Take two and we are right back, right back where we swore we’d never be
Duckin’ cover, trading glances, eyeing off surreptitiously
Now I don’t know how many times we’ve drawn the same old lines in the sand
I just know – proclaim – by this time tonight, we’ll both be here again
We are far from ordinary
We are far from ordinary
But it feels so good
CHORUS
Gettin’ Thru
Sun is shining oh-so-bright
Everything is full of light
I just ain’t gettin thru with what God has given me
In the park the children play
Off to work, another day
I just ain’t gettin thru with what God has given me
Seems no matter how I try
I just ain’t gettin thru with what God has given me
Faith has made no difference
My defence, my deliverance
Seems like everybody else has got the key
Or they’re, they’re just hiding it better than me
So I guess we’ll wait and we’ll see
Early morning when I rise
I can barely open up my eyes
I just ain’t gettin thru with what God has given me
(Deleted stanza)
Lovers kissing on the train
Back and forth and back again
I just ain’t gettin thru with what God has given me
Lord it’s taking all I got
I just ain’t gettin thru with what God has given me
I am gonna get thru
Opa Opa
OPA OPA – that’s the sound that grandpa made gettin’ out his chair
OPA OPA – and grandma figurin’ how she gon’ climb the stairs
OPA OPA – sound the call, follow me to the sweeter air
OPA OPA – d-d (ahem) double time it now
OPA OPA, OPA OPA
OPA OPA – I’mma tell you one more time, then I wanna see
OPA OPA – you shake off yr webs and get yr shuffle on up to me
OPA OPA – don’t ne’er forget how you gotta use them there legs
OPA OPA – I’mma sing it for ya right here one time
Ay ya mama, I know yr scared
But the after is waiting there
Pick yrself up out yr pit of despair
Climb yr way to the top, I’ll meet you there, I’ll meet you there
OPA OPA, OPA OPA
OPA – is it coz you can’t sit right?
OPA – or stretch yr feet on the plane?
OPA – is it coz you wanna be a Michael, but yr only a Tito Germaine?
OPA – is it coz you wanna captain…
OPA – … but only ever co-pilot?
OPA – is it coz you wanna Han Solo, but ya only ever Chewbacca?
Ay ya mama, please believe
That the answer you’ll receive
Pick yrself up out yr pit of despair
Climb yr way to the top, I’ll meet you there, I’ll meet you there
OPA OPA, OPA OPA
Morena
How did we come so far?
How did we come to this?
How did we come to be more than…?
Lying here together
Lying about it all
Lie and tell me that we’re no more than…?
CHORUS:
Morena, why not join me? We’ll leave our troubles behind
I’d rather have you on my body than on my mind
Morena, say you’ll join me
I hear what they’re saying but I don’t care
Lying here with your skin on my skin
You got me so I don’t wanna breathe in
Coz it’ll just take me that little bit further from you
CHORUS
Ay ay ay, mi morena
no tengo ni idea
Everybody thinks they know better but I don’t care
CHORUS
No Way No
There ain’t no way, no
No way, no, no way, no no no
I don’t wanna – you can’t make me go
I can’t hear ya – you ain’t the boss of me
Take it, fine – see if I give a damn
… uh, uh, uh-huh, give it back now
“Na na na na na na na na na” is all they ever say
But I don’t listen much to them when I don’t get my way
“La la la la la la la la la la la” is all they ever do
These fun police is such a drag, coz I can’t do what I want to
No way, no…
I don’t want to eat my boring greens
I’d rather have chocolate ice cream
It’s my turn now, but only if I win
No way no, nuh-uh, nuh-uh, nuh-uh nuh-uh
“La la la la la la la la la la la” is all they ever say
But I don’t listen much to them, I never get my way
“Na na na na na na na na na” is all they ever do
These fun police is such a drag, coz I can’t do what I want to
No way, no…
Yr Werds
CHORUS
Your words mean more than mine can say
And I understand each one a little more with every day
But somehow, someway, somewhere inside
I’m gonna find the strength to keep on, on, on
What can I tell ya? I’m stupefied
You took one look at me and you read my mind
It’s not the answer, it’s not even a plan
But tonight I’m feeling just a little bit more than half a man
CHORUS
I’m in the middle, it’s such a mess
My tongue is tired, my hands can do the rest
But then you came down in the valley and lifted me above it
Now I can see it’s up to me to do something about it
CHORUS
I Can See It All Before Me
Woe – woe is me, my darling
Woe – woe is me, my dear
Woe – woe upon the riddler
Confounding me with this mystery here
Whoa – easy with yr breathing
Whoa – easy with yr fears
Whoa – easy with yr fingers
The answer couldn’t be further from clear
CHORUS
But if I stop trying to look around
Close my eyes and follow the sound
Then I can see it all before me
Woe – woe is me, my darling
Woe – woe is me, my dear
Woe – woe upon the riddler
Who keeps confounding me obviously
CHORUS
I can see it all before me
Nite With You
I see the stars and the heralds waiting
Heaven knows just what they’re contemplating
As the sun sets in your hair tonight
I can almost hear them praying
So much more than my imagination
Someone else’s dream materialised
They may do all these, but baby to me
It’s just another night with you
The sky may bleed, the stars may scream,
It’s just another night with you
Let the boss man keep on bawling
Coz it’s all I can do to keep stalling
To keep from falling, now I’m recalling
Let the dogs of day keep hollering
They may do all these, but baby to me
It’s just another night with you
Gravity may fail, the air set sail,
It’s just another night with you
Ooh, I can barely try
Ooh, if I speak, I’ll die
Ooh, just as long as you’re here tonight
They may do all these, but baby to me
It’s just another night with you
Gravity may fail, the air set sail,
It’s just another night with you
The whole world we see might cease to be,
It’s just another night with you
Twenty-four hours later, I’ll still be waiting
To spend another night with you
Move
Thought I’d write and let you know
Why it was I had to go
I’m a big believer in because
Impossible face-to-face
All it took was time and space
To see it all for what it was and is
You know we’re not ok, not at all ok
CHORUS
That’s why I had to move, with or without you
And if we ever meet again, hopefully as friends,
At least we’ll know that in the end everything was said
Time was we could talk, and say just what it was we had to say
About the different paths we’d walked
Without thinking any less, or any different
But now we’re not ok (not at all ok)
Not at all ok (not at all)
CHORUS
I’m a man trying to be a boy, and maybe it’s too late
Still I’mma try anyway
And though you don’t see it now,
I can only hope you will one day
CHORUS
Move, with or without you
And if we meet one day again, I only hope and pray
You’ll know I only ever wished you happiness
I only truly wished you happiness
With all I have I wish
Wannado
It’s too hot to sleep, I just kick off the sheets
How I wish that I knew something typical about you
I put my head inside the fridge, relief beyond my reach
How I wish that I knew if this is how you really feel
Is this how you feel, eh?
And I’ll do all I can if you just tell me what you wanna do
What’s on your mind? How do you keep it all inside?
How I wish that I knew the trick to do that thing that you do
I’m all words all day, I’m giving it all away
How I wish that I knew something about how you feel
Is this how you feel, eh?
Coz I’ll do all I can if you just tell me what you wanna do
Is this the way I feel about it?
Do… what you wanna do
Babylon
You wanted me to take it all the way
but now you’re begging me to stay my course
We were on the same page the other day
But now it sounds like everything you say is in tongues
CHORUS
Babylon – we’re taking trouble to the sky – Bablyon
Bablyon – let’s stick an arrow to the man – Bablyon
I’m through with feeling powerless
And letting others always get the best of me
The only way I can get them to stop
Is if I take my grievance to the top or over
CHORUS
You said you felt the same as me, that this was just no way to be
We said we wouldn’t take no more, of getting locked out Heaven’s door
It’s in our hands to make it better, only we can make it better, better, better
CHORUS
Showya
CHORUS
Baby, I just wanna show ya
Baby, I just wanna show ya
Give it up baby, I just wanna show ya
Give it up baby, I just wanna show ya
I got to let you know, yeah
Tonight I’m gonna show ya
How much you mean to me
Let me tell ya
CHORUS
Let it go baby, I just wanna show ya
Let it go baby, I just wanna show ya
So what’s on yr mind? I’m gon’ get to know ya
Free up yr line, I’m gon’ telephone ya
CHORUS
Who’s Loving You
When you feel there’s something wrong between you and your one
Then it ain’t me who’s loving you
When you feel misunderstood, that yr lover ain’t no good
It ain’t me who’s loving you
When the city ain’t your friend, the streets are all dead-ends
It ain’t me who’s loving you
And when all is said and done, dead before it’s begun
It ain’t me who’s loving you
We’re all grown up, now life’s about juggling bills and dreams
What I would give to be going home to you – go home!
When you’re feeling so alone, your skin is not your home
It ain’t me who’s loving you
When your loving’s unreturned, your heat just gets you burned
It ain’t me who’s loving you
And when all is said and done, dead before it’s born
It ain’t me who’s loving you
When playing nice ain’t paying off, you just get took for all you got
It ain’t me who’s loving you
We’re all grown up, now life’s about juggling bills and dreams
What I would give to be going home to you – go home!
Hold Onto Me
I been running, running ’round these streets at night
I been ducking in and out of bars, money, fights
I been searching, searching for her since she gone
Never facing daylight on my own
CHORUS
I been blinded by the sunshine
Ears don’t hear good, years ain’t been kind
I only know how to be held, so won’t you please
Hold on, hold onto me
Hold onto me, baby
I been searching, searching for her door to door
It could be you, you that I’ve been looking for
CHORUS
Sometimes
Sometimes, sometimes, i feel like a criminal
i feel like a school boy, i feel like a little girl
i feel like, i feel like, i feel like i could do more
i feel like i’m never done, never seems i done enough
SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES
Sometimes, sometimes, i feel like a criminal
i feel like a school boy, i feel like a little girl
i feel like, i feel like, i feel like i said too much
i feel like the litter runt, never can i be enough
SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES
amid all of the hustle and bustlin
still we all with the fussing and cussin at
what done by other man, other man
coming down on a brother man, brother man
don’t matter what ya done em, done em
y’only holler what he ain’t done, ain’t done
and if you ever thought he dunna wanna
then ya maybe better holler nada
amid all of the hustle and bustlin
still we all with the fussing and cussin at
what done by other man, other man
getting down on a brother man
Donita
Sitting alone inside this room, I think of you, I swear that’s all I do
For all the good it’ll do, it’s coming between me and you
And now, it seems that I have now come to the end of all that stands
So what am I to do? Here am I without a clue
CHORUS
I don’t know what I’m s’posed to do
Tell me what am I s’posed to do
I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know
It all seemed so simple, so, so simple
When I was on that road, I always knew which way to go
But now, I don’t see straight, I don’t go out,
I don’t stay up so late as when I was a younger man
I do what I can but see
CHORUS
(Tell me what am I supposed to do)
Soapbox
Gimme time, time, time to find my piece of mind
You need to back up, gimme space in front
If you wanna get the best from me
OH-OH WHOA-OH-OH-OH
Gimme time…
You need to settle down, disperse the damn crowd
If you wanna see the best of me
OH-OH WHOA-OH-OH-OH
Give. Me. Time. You said it yourself, girl
You said it yourself – you gonna take it back?
Give. Me. Time. You said it yrself
But then I guess if you say so, it doesn’t really matter coz I’d never really know
You better act right if you don’t want tonight to be the last that you see of me
LA LA-LA-LA LA LA-LA LA LA-LA-LA LA LA LA LA LA
OH-OH WHOA-OH-OH-OH
You need to act right if you don’t want tonight to be the last you see of me
Try
So I try, try, try
While my hopes and dreams fall from the sky
Takes all my power, all my might
Just to keep on while wondering why
And just how I’ll get through this yet
So I try, try, try
Why’s it take so much to satisfy?
Seems like all I do is fight
To keep afloat within my mind
Wonderin’ how i’ll get through this yet
Still I try, try, try
But it feels like home is too far from sight
Or just beyond these arms of mine
With no one else… on my side
Still don’t know how i’ll get through this yet
Bleeding
There’s no bleeding in my eyes anymore
There’s no bleeding in my eyes anymore
Oh I’m alive, I’m alive, alive
I don’t know how, just how I survived
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
Oh I’m alive, I’m alive, alive
I don’t know how, just how I survived
It took all I had to get away from you
All I had to get away from you
It took all I had to get away from you
It took all I had to
It took all I had to get away from you
So Long Farewell
Peace will come before its time is due
And I will still remember you
Your brother’s so sad to see you go
And how he is feeling we all know
I don’t know just what is going on
Or how we’re supposed to carry on
I keep thinking we won’t keep so tight
As we keep saying that we’ll write
If this be the last time we meet:
So, So Long, Farewell
A whole world, another place to see
Other people that you need to be
Questions that lead you everywhere
Do you hope to find the answers there?
Or will they lead you back to where you came from so long ago?
So, So Long, Farewell
And if you ever do return
Will you change? Will we have to learn
Who you are and did you ever know
The friend that left so long ago?
The friend that I bid “Adieu, So Long, So, So Long, Farewell”?
So, So Long… Farewell