🎵 Footprints // by A Tribe Called Quest

48 ContributorsFootprints Lyrics “Footprints” embodies the spirit of the Tribe as Q-Tip details his rhythmic travels over a mixture of hard-hitting drums courtesy of Public Enemy supporting a jazz loop from Donald Byrd while throwing in… Read More  [Verse 1: Q-Tip] As we start trudging Me and my brothers we be looking and be bugging Vehicles of life they be rolling and be nudging Searching for the virgins of life That be shoving out the door that's cracked The valleys of time, are always on my feet As least the beat will combine The calluses and corns with the funky bassline You don't need Underdog for a nickel shoeshine or the shoes that's phat But can I get a level on the bass and on the treble? Footing up and down like a UNLV Rebel The answer be amongst us 'cause we really dig acoustics Can't be too much flacking, not too much packing You must container that at least to dip your hand in rap Your feet will be infectious so at least realize the fact The rhythms are inserted and the nerds can be converted This ain't rock 'n' roll 'cause the rap is in control If you're a megastar, words will buy you a car I'd rather go barefooting, for prints I will be putting All over the earth if we can get there first Now that we are in it, footprints are being printed So if you recognize 'em, you can try to size 'em They'll probably be the ones with the size nine flying All over the field, you won't have to yield If you want protection you can hide behind the shield [Interlude: Jesse Jackson] And the musician often tries to capture the new thing so that we might have melody and have rhythm as we do our thing It's rough and tough in this ghetto, a lot of funny stuff going down but you got to walk tall. Walk tall! [Verse 2: Q-Tip] You can game on the gallons if you really need to rock But we walk while we talk as we stomping through the block Hand in hand 'cross the land as Muhammad cross the fade It's a Tribe who meanders, precious like a jade It's a art, feet are arched, rhymes the ground placed upon The mind will unwind, it will soft to beyond Catch the track, track by track, get a map to track a trail You will find yourself behind for a map does not prevail See the levels peaking as the rhythms keep-a screeching A Quest, oh yes a Quest, inside the jam I will keep preaching The point, oh yes the point, because it's close but yet so far The liveliness is mean as we scoot across the star We are bulging, I'm indulging in a rat-a-tat-tat Explanation for the line is that the rhythm is phat Keep it wild, wide and deep, you could dig it in a Jeep But dig it in the ground because the footprint down [Interlude: Jesse Jackson] Walk tall! Walk tall! Walk tall! Walk tall! Walk tall! Walk tall! Walk tall! Walk tall! [Verse 3: Q-Tip] If there's a storm that's brewing, it won't keep us from doing Our thing as we start swinging, travelling is bringing Joy inside the domes as we hit the road to Rome A chair is not a chair, a house is not a home Because my skin is brown, yo I'm gonna do the town Rub it in the face and rub my feet all through the place When you get your finger on the music it'll linger Sing a song o' sixpence, sing it like a singer A Nubian, a Nubian, a proud one at that Remember me, the brother who said "Black is black" You can come while we Quest, I don't play, I don't jest Get emotions off your chest, we are Black, we been blessed Making moves, making motions, flowing like an ocean The walking will continue, we know that we will bring you The times that you have waited, more anticipated Be gone but not for long 'cause the feet will stay strong