Lyrics

[Intro: Nina Simone & Common] Baby, you understand me now If sometimes you see that I'm mad No one can always be an angel When everything goes wrong you see some bad Well I'm just a soul whose intentions are good Oh, Lord, please, don't let me be misunderstood (Yeah, uh) Misunderstood (We do this for the people that walk that path) Misunderstood (Tryna get to their dream, yeah, uh) Oh [Verse 1: Common] He stood on the corner with the rest of them Though he knew that this corner wasn't the best of him Hard streets and a life that crested him Dirt police domestic beefs that's festerin' He knew the President wadn't addressin' him Though dead presidents was undressin' him Two kids from hot sex no protection and People don't see how AIDS is affectin' 'em It get hard to get the get the God question in Can't find a job so you robbin' and hustlin' He killed marks and sold dope for cousin' 'em Can't believe they would be the ones buckin' him He on the ground he could feel God touchin' him He heard the sound of his moms sayin' trust in him At Heaven's gate saying, "Lord, please, let me in Or send me back to tell my people to be better men" [Chorus: Nina Simone & Common] Misunderstood (Cause we are) Misunderstood Misunderstood Don't let me be misunderstood (Uh, yeah) I'm just human, oh [Verse 2: Common] She danced and she danced, she danced for them Her body move but her mind was mannequin Thinkin', "I don't know where they hands have been" Relationships with men have been so damagin' She thought back to when she was at Howard and Dreams of doing scenes with Terrence Howard and Broadway plays and dancin' with Alv and them The ones that make it always ain't the talented Some dreams get lost never to be found again At first strippin' seemed so empowering Most every girl wanna do it now and then But bein' meat every day is devourin' Cats puttin' paper where she put powder and Life would break her, now she powdering She was high when she fell down and then Crowd surrounding and, heart was pounding and She fell into a deep sleep the siren sounded and Seen bright lights in the midst of clouds and then Talked to God, feeling like His child again Said, "Lord, let me live so I can make you proud again" [Chorus: Nina Simone & Common] Misunderstood (Cause we are) Misunderstood Misunderstood Don't let me be misunderstood I'm just human [Outro: Bilal & Nina Simone] The life we lead Will always lead us And we pray that he Will never leave us It's the price we pay I guess that's the reason Why my grandma sang "We all need Jesus" The life we lead Will always lead us And we pray that he Will never leave us It's the price we pay I guess that's the reason Why my grandma sang "We all need Jesus" Misunderstood Don't— don't let me be Misunderstood Don't— Misunderstood Don't— don't let me be Misunderstood Don't— I'm just human