Be for Real (feat. Teddy Pendergrass)

Hey lady, can I say something to you for a minute?

Please? No, now, before you take your coat off, that's it

I've got something to tell you see

What I have to say is so very important to our relationship

Why is it that every time we go out on the town

And get around my friends

Man, you're always talking about what you got

Went out and bought for you

How much money I make

And what school our children go to

And all the fancy clothes and the big pretty cars and the

Big diamond rings, and them fantastic mink coats

Is you for real? No, I don't think you're

Sit down, no, no, sit down

Now don't say nothing, you see

Wait a minute, wait a minute, that is your problem

That is your problem, you're always saying the wrong thing

At the right time

You see, I don't, I don't know how to explain this to you

The best I can tell you is what my mother told me as I was coming up

She used to say, son, chances go 'round

She said, the same people that you meet going up

You meet the same old faces coming down

Tell the truth

You see, people today, they come out there to party

They come out to party, man

They didn't come out to hear all that jive mess you talking 'bout

You standing up in the corner with a bottle of champagne

Talking about Harry, Joe, and Dick and Bobby

And what they ain't got

And they live down in the lower development homes and

You won't even help, you won't even buy 'em a drink

Is that any way to meet them?

If you're gonna boast, boast around somebody that has what you have

Don't make your own brothers and sisters feel bad

You see, listen

I know you know what I'm talking about because

From time to time, I can remember you coming to me

Putting your head on my shoulder and crying

Oh, papa, why? Why? Why don't nobody wanna be my friend?

You told me a long time ago, you said, papa, what am I doing?

I didn't wanna tell you that I thought you had sense enough

To realize what you're doing, but I see you don't

Sit down and listen to me, no, sit down

You see, people are too sensitive today

They don't wanna hear all that jive you talking back

You see, they don't wanna hear about what you got

Because they're trying to get it, too

Tell the truth

I can't very much blame 'em

As much as it hurts me

It hurts to see people going around behind our backs

Saying that, this woman this, this woman that

And she ain't this, and she ain't that

I wanna be proud of you, mama

I wanna be proud of you

Listen, as long as you live

As long as you live whether you're with me or not

Be for real

Be for real

Be for real, girl

Be be be for real

Be for real

You shouldn’t have no attitude if you’re living good

No, if you're smartly dressed

Hey baby, hey baby

What you should be doing is getting down on your knees every night

And thanking the man above for being blessed

Right now

Oh, if you want your friends to think you're starting with a smile

Be for real, girl

Just be, be for real

Be, be for real

I can't let you go on chasing my friends away

Because of the silly and stupid things you say

My baby, my baby, hey baby

You'd better dig yourself there, woman

Putting people down is less, less than you

It just don't pay, hey, yeah

Oh, I want people today by starting with a smile

Be for real, girl

I know, I know I want you to do it, just be for real

Hey lady, yeah baby, yeah baby

Be for real, honey

Just be, be for real

I don't want your money, I don't need your money

Just be for real, just be for real, mama

Don't do it for me, do it for yourself

Be for real, honey

Yeah, yeah, tell 'em ' bout it, honey

Be for real, mama

Hey yeah, just be be be for real