Credits
PERFORMING ARTISTS
J. Cole
Vocals
Annaliesa Place
Violin
Suzanne Ornstein
Violin
Christine Kim
Cello
David Southhorn
Violin
Shmuel Katz
Viola
Milena Pajaro-Van De Stadt
Viola
Desiree Elsevier
Viola
Kyle Armbrust
Viola
Jerry Grossman
Cello
Maureen McDermott
Cello
Mary Wooten
Cello
John Patitucci
Bass Guitar
Rachel Calin
Bass Guitar
Ken Lewis
Performer
Sandra Park
Performer
Amber Coffman
Vocals
Ann Lehmann
Violin
Brian Oblivion
Vocals
Cults
Sampled Artist
Jung Sun Yoo
Violin
Madeline Follin
Sampled Artist
Ryan Mattos
Sampled Artist
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Jermaine Lamarr Cole
Songwriter
Madeline Follin
Songwriter
Ryan Mattos
Songwriter
Pete Whitfield
Orchestrator
Ken Lewis
String Arranger
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
J. Cole
Producer
Ken Lewis
Engineer
Juro "Mez" Davis
Mixing Engineer
Sam Giannelli
Assistant Mixing Engineer
Chris Athens
Mastering Engineer
Mark Pitts
Executive Producer
Roc Nation
Executive Producer
Tyler Hartman
Engineer
Daniel Recinos
Engineer
Lyrics
[Intro]
She knows
She knows, aye
Bad things happen to the people you love
And you find yourself praying up to Heaven above
But honestly, I've never had much sympathy
'Cause those bad things, I always saw them coming for me
I'm gonna run, run away, run, run away, run away
Oh, I, oh, I-I-I
Run away and never come back
Well, all right
Run, run away, run, run away, run away
Oh, I, oh, I-I-I
Show 'em that your color is black
Well, all right
[Verse 1]
Damned if I do, damned if I don't
You know I got a girl back home
You got a man, what you want, what you want?
What these bitches want from a ****?
On some DMX shit, huh
I know them other **** love trickin'
On some BMX shit, but not me
Now I'm sure you done heard about me
A black star, Mos Def, Kweli
Good, so them bad hoes try me, they try me
This is Martin Luther King in the club, gettin' dubs
With a bad bitch in his ear, sayin' that she down for whatever
In the back of his mind is Coretta
[Chorus]
And she knows, she knows
And I know she knows, and I know she knows
And deep down, she knows, she knows
And I know she knows, and I know she knows
Well, all right, oh, I, oh, I-I-I
I can't be what you want from me, well, all right
Oh, I, oh, I-I-I
I can't be what you want from me, well, all right
[Verse 2]
Damned if I do, shit, damned if I don't
I'm passin' up on bad hoes tryna be the man that she want, what she want?
What she, what she want from a ****?
To put a ring on it
Got a bitch on my dick right now
And she just want to sing on it
Got me up so high, try and get a piece of that apple pie
I be up so high, try and get a piece of that apple pie
Dancehall vibes with my pants on fire
'Cause I told her I was sleep
As I creep with this pretty young thing that I chose
'Cause she could be doin' the same thing, I suppose
[Chorus]
And she knows, she knows
And I know she knows, and I know she knows
And deep down, she knows, she knows
And I know she knows, and I know she knows
Well, all right, oh, I, oh, I-I-I
I can't be what you want from me, well, all right
Oh, I, oh, I-I-I
I can't be what you want from me, well, all right
[Bridge]
**** say, "Turn up," hoes say, "Turn up"
Only bad thing 'bout a star is they burn up
**** say, "Turn up," hoes say, "Turn up"
Only bad thing 'bout a star is they burn up
Rest in peace to Aaliyah
Rest in peace to Left Eye (Left Eye)
Michael Jackson, I'll see ya
Just as soon as I die (I die)
Got me up so high, tryna get a piece of that apple pie, uh
I be up so high, tryna get a piece of that apple pie
Got me up so high, tryna get a piece of that apple pie, uh
I be up so high, tryna get a piece of that apple pie
[Refrain]
Well, all right, oh, I, oh, I-I-I
I can't be what you want from me, well, all right
Oh, I, oh, I-I-I
I can't be what you want from me, well, all right
[Verse 3]
Run away, run away, back
Run away, run away, back
Run away, run away, back
Run away, run away, back
Written by: Jermaine L. Cole, Ryan Michael Mattos, Madeline Follin McKenna