Hey, lady, can I say something
to you for a minute?
Please? No. Now before
you take your coat off. That's it.
I 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,
we get around our friends?
Man, you're always talking about what you got,
huh,
Went out and bought for you,
How much money I make,
And what school our children go to,
And all the fancy clothes and big pretty cars,
The big diamond rings,
and them fantastic mink coats.
Is you for real? No, I
don't think you are.
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 tthing 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,
they make the same old faces
coming down."
Heh, 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 about.
You standing up in the corner with a bottle of champagne taking 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,
'cause they're trying to get it, too.
Heh, tell the truth.
I can't very much blame her.
As much as it hurts me, it hurts to see people going around behind our backs saying that "this woman this,
this woman that," or "she ain't this" or "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,
You shouldn't have to worry about
how you've been 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, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
If you want your friends to think
you're starting with a smile,
Be for real, girl.
Just be, be for real. (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.
Yeah, baby. Yeah, baby. Hey, baby.
You better dig yourself there,
woman.
Putting people down is less best to you.
It just don't pay. Hey, yeah.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
I want people today by starting with a smile,
Be for real, girl.
I know, I know I want you to
do is just be for real.
(Be for real.) Hey, lady. Yeah,
baby. Yeah, baby.
(Be for real, girl.) Be for real, honey.
Just be, be for real. (Be for
real.)
I don't want your money. I don't
need your money.
(Be for real, girl.) Just be for real. Just be for real,
mama.
Don't do it for me, do it for yourself.
(Be for real.) Be for real, honey.
Yeah, yeah. Tell 'em ' bout
it, honey.
(Be for real, girl.) Be for real,
mama. Hey, yeah.
Just be, be, be for real. (Be for real.)
Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes 
