Pre-Millennium Tension
Album - 28 ottobre 1996 - Debaser id 17915

[t]=tricky's voice
[m]=martine's voice

[t]
my defences
[t+m]
become fences
[t]
i'm stumbling
[t+m]
i change my face
and if you think i'm fake-up
wait around till i'll take off my makeup
here we go again
i need another one
her name is
she looks through me
says i'm the only one

[m]
i met a christian in christiansands, and a devil in helsinki
i met a christian in christiansands, and a devil in helsinki

[t]
is it getting better?
[t+m]
wrote her a letter, asking questions
baby steps in sections...
i mean we'll take it slow
i really don't know
when you talk, you make me cringe
silver me to the messenger
let her go don't question her

[m]
i met a christian in christiansands, and a devil in helsinki
i met a christian in christiansands, and a devil in helsinki

[t]
you and me, what does that mean?
always, what does that mean?
forever, what does that mean?
it means we'll manage
i'll master your language and in the meantime i'll create my own
by my own
it means we'll manage
i'll master your language and in the meantime i'll create my own
by my own...

She makes me wanna die
Follow where Mary goes
Cherish the things she knows
Says if I change my stride
Then I'll fly
She makes me wanna die
Change my stride
Then I'll fly
Look to the sun
See me in psychic pollution
Walking on the moon
How could you dare?
Who do you think you are?
You're insignificant
A small piece, an ism
No more no less
You try to learn the universe
Can't even converse in universe
You know its ironic smoking hydroponic
She makes me wanna die
Change my stride
Then I'll fly
She makes me wanna die

Repeat until: Can't even converse in universe
(but leave out fifth line: She makes me wanna die)

(vocals by Sky) Me's a ghetto youth Me come from straight dung ina the ghetto Seen, Rockfort, Warica Seen, Matches Lane Jungle Heights all I and I are one. Me a tell ya All Bull Bay Heights and dem heights dey. Yeah wick dem up Seen, I you a hear me Wicked ina de ghetto mi bredda Wicked to the mass And you done know the man have youth and youth a come up (translation- boys become men) And you see when And the father drop out Dem no know no father so dem come up tun gunman. (tun=turn) Me done know, because a so de ghetto (so=saw) run a so the politician do it dem bring in a bag a gun and barrage a ting and seen run pon youth and then when you check it out. Dem send dem police friend to come for dem gun And dem say dem not running gun and dem tings deh. And bere tings in a ghetto (translation-that`s how things are in the ghetto) Seen, man no stop kill man. Seen, man no stop rob man. A no dem tings deh we want ina Jamaica (trans.- we don't want those things in the ghetto) We want love, unity, seen, strength and energy. Yeah, we want a whole heap of things to go on for the ghetto youth all next year. You done know me as one a dem uprighting ghetto youth, Seen, so we a start from way down dey so. (trans.- "we start at the bottom of the barrel") We no just a come from no way and a come up ya so. (trans- we don't just come from nowhere, we're right here) A way dung de so man a come from. Say man a come way from the rock, when me say de rock, me mean the rock, Seen, Them a [??] and them come to the [??] industrial [??] caribbean country [??] We no got no royalty, know what me say? Yeah, get up in a place them call [?] Them sitting in a store. Gas with plane, gas to this, gas to that, gas to everything. Ever have a little fire get wet? Wow, them has not said a word. I a don't know my little friend over there sir. Sure when all left [??] See Tricky? [??] old things. I a do know ya up front man. Yes me brother, Sky the yes sir. [??] I tell ya, the youth. Ya'll god bless [??], trust me. I wanna show ya'll a thing about the ghetto. See the ghetto is a [case a pop, lollipop, all of them pop there]. Yeah, I and I a juggle them from nine from down yes sir. See ya know just call me sister [?] See ya don't know man no ghetto youth, see? Straight boy original, see? Yeah, and noboby can fool and nobody can come use we. Yeah, that's the way we run things. We just steal a thing, we sell suck suck on them thing. Them thing come and them thing star and [??] enquire [??] for earn our own paper. Yeah, [??] get we boy to come tell about 6 to 6 and 6 to 12. And after this and after that you drink champagne and cut off you foot. In a place something on that ya see [??] When them work them weary. That's how the ghetto youth live. That's why them ever try to elevate us, I and I ya see? Ya know I and I elevate out of the slum. [??] Se we me people we make use of that ya see? Our mother and our father never have nothing, from way down there sir. Trust me me brother. See that's how I and I come up. Go to school without lunch money and them sitting there. That's why I no love nobody else. One good thing I love about the little youth they're a [??] and a friend me brother. I tell ya, [??] or anything ya want. I and I know. I live with it. I live with it, ya see? Reality a reality see? We no promote none of them boy over there sir. See them stay over one side and go and eat them [?] and drink them what they wanna drink them. Where ya going [??] There is one thing and kick back and go and meditate and see? Yeah, live with people me people live with we. Ya know what me say? Yeah, 'cause when I tell ya me brother, see there be chain of [??] them a go under see? Babylon release the train but them [?] is them brain see? Trust me. That's why I and I goes with them see? God with it them build big pretty church and no build no school.

What you gonna do with your sex drive?
Wait for your soul to catch up with me
Concretely seen
I talk to him
I wanna lie
She looks at me
I wanna hide
Wanna be rich and fat
How do I validate that?
I think every time to fluid
I cut my mouth...
Do I, returning into there
Can I rest my head on your chest and dribble
You know the rules I speaks in riddle
Pain is somewhere along the line(2x)
It takes courage and strength to be single
When you get older your body won't look so good
This is the peak, the best time for a relationship
I'm the only shiek in moscow
I said if you're in love let go my hand now
The older I get the more confused I am
The older I get the more bitter I am
Damn it jesus
They want more more pleasure more Regis
I sway one way with my head down
I don't wanna get a conflicting mind state
You hold the national wealth
I get the, I get the national health
You told me I was the original guttersnipe
But really I'm the original isrealite
I live in a ghetto forever after
So you manufacture the ghetto blaster
But I'm out now, I'm older
Don't carry music on my shoulder
You think I'm a wild terrier
Now I can afford to live in your area...
(Mumbling)
The older I get the more confused I am
The confused I am the older I get

by Eric B. & Rakim

I'm rated "R"...this is a warning, ya better void,
Poets are paranoid, DJ's D-stroyed,
'cause I came back to attack others in spite-
Strike like lightnin', It's quite frightenin'!
But don't be afraid in the dark, in a park,
Not a scream or a cry, or a bark, more like a spark;
Ya tremble like a alcoholic, muscles tighten up,
What's that, lighten up! You see a sight but,
Suddenly you feel like you're in a horror flick,
You grab your heart then wish for tomorrow quick!
Music's the clue, when I come your warned,
Apocolypse Now, when I'm done, ya gone!
Haven't you ever heard of a MC-murderer?
This is the death penalty,and I'm servin' a
death wish, so come on, step to this
hysterical idea for a lyrical professionist!
Friday the thirteenth, walking down Elm Street,
you come in my realm ya get beat!
This is off limits, so your visions are blurry,
All ya see is the meters at a volume,
pumping Lyrics of Fury!

it's a ....fearified freestyle!

Terror in the styles, never error-files,
indeed I'm known-your exiled!
For those that oppose to be level or next to this...
I ain't a devil and this ain't the Exorcist!
worse than a nightmare, you don't have to sleep a wink,
the pain's a migraine every time ya think,
Flashbacks interfere, ya start to hear:
The R-A-K-I-M in your ear;
Then the beat is hysterical,
that makes Eric go get a ax and chops the wack,
soon the lyrical format is superior,
faces of death remain,
MC's decaying, 'cause they never stayed,
the scene of a crime every night at the show,
the fiend of a rhyme on the mic that you know,
It's only one capable, breaks-the unbreakable,
melodies-unmakable, pattern-unecscapable,
a horn if want the style I posses,
I bless the child, the earth, the gods and bomb the rest,
for those that envy a MC it can be,
hazardous to your health so be friendly,
a matter of life and death, just like a etch-a-sketch,
shake 'till your clear, make it disappear, make the next,
after the ceremony, let the rhyme rest in peace,
if not, my soul'll release!
the scene is recreated, reincarnated, updated, I'm glad you made it,
'cause you're about to see a disasterous sight,
a performance never again performed on a mic:
Lyrics of fury!

'well I see it so much
( I see it so much ) I see it so much
( I see it so much ), I see it, I see it '

Tricky and martina:
Before you test, know what's going on,
I've been around for long, my evil is strong
I lie awake and hate you,
Maybe that's strong enough to make you

One, two, one, two, catch up
Before you test, know what's going on,
I've been around for long, my evil is strong
I lie awake and hate you,
Maybe that's strong enough to make you
Something happened-a car crash
Make you play with a weapon
A gun in your mouth, my voice in your mind

Two before you test, know what's going on,
I've been around for long, my evil is strong
I lie awake and hate you
Maybe that's enough to make you
Something happened-a car crash
Make you play with a weapon
A gun in your mouth, my voice in your mind
Sleep and I'll find you,
Put my mind to, am I strong enough?
Watch me rock a thousand stage

My funny valentine, I don't find you funny
Seaside, the sunny, the fame, the money
Who am I to say, do you wanna be a?
No, I can't say it, my mouth is like a...
Bittersweet and twisted, deceitful,rough and gifted
Even got God scared, mend the things we did
Making children, strong enough to take a life
Are you strong enough to take care of one?
I'm a work on it, pray on it, stay on it
I'm a work on it, pray on it and stay in it
I'm a work on it ,pray on it and stay in it
I'm a work on it, pray on it and stay in it



Before you test, know what's going on,
I've been around for long, my evil is strong
I lie awake and hate you
Maybe that's enough to make you
Something happened-a car crash
Make you play with a weapon
A gun in your mouth, my voice in your mind
Sleep and I'll find you, put my mind to, am I strong enough?
Watch me rock a fifty thousand stage
Cannot tell me, do you feel it?
Is this energy strong enough to work you like a blade?
I'm a work on it, pray on it, stay on it
I'm a work on it, pray on it and stay in it

My funny valentine, I don't find you funny
Seaside, the sunny, the fame, the money
Who am I to say, do you wanna be a?
No, I can't say it, my mouth is like a...
Bittersweet and twisted,deceitful, rough and gifted
Even got God scared, mend the things we do
Making children strong enough to take a life
Are you strong enough to look after one?
I'm a work on it, pray on it, stay in it
I'm a work on it, I'm work on it
Pray on it and stay in it

My funny valentine, I don't find you funny
Seaside, the sunny, the fame, the money
Who am I to say,do you wanna be a?
No, I can't say it, my mouth is like a...
Bittersweet and twisted,deceitful, rough and gifted
Even got God scared
Even got God scared
Even god's,god's scared
Mend the things we do
Making children strong enough to take a life,
But are you strong enough to take care of one?
I'm a pray on it, stay in it, stay on it
I'm a work on it, pray on it, stay in it
I'm a work on it, pray on it ( stay in it )

[tricky:]

to the noose
to the neck
to the boost
to the check
to the micic
to the psychic
to the circuit
to the games pays to blame
to the freedom
make it rain
make it sane
make it dance
not a chance
see her run
see her come
take me cunning
she's Bauhaus
never saw, never saw (?)

she's lifelike
to the heartbeat
can't feel the heartbeat
to the flowers
to the bunches
to the lunches
to the punches

to the good
to the clean
and i'll be you're ugly
to the occasion
to the lie
kiss beneath
bridge of sighs
not some moaning
until they homing
and they spoil it all

not some moaning
until they homing
not some moaning
until they homing

to the good
to the clean
and i'll be you're ugly
to the occasion
to the lie
kiss beneath
bridge of sighs
not some moaning
until they homing
not some moaning
until they homing