We sell, crack to our own out
the back of our homes
We smell the musk at the dusk
in the crack of the dawn
We go through "Episodes II"
like "Attack Of The Clones"
Work 'til we break our back
and you hear the crack of the bone
To get by, just to get by
Just to get by, just to get by
We commute to computers
Spirits stay mute
while you eagles spread rumors
We survivalists, turned to consumers
Just to get by, just to get by
Just to get by, just to get by
Ask him why some people
got to live in a trailer, cuss like a sailor
I paint a picture with the pen
like Norman Mailer
Mi abuela raised three daughters
all by herself, with no help
I think about her struggle
and I find the strength in myself
These words, melt in my mouth
They hot, like the jail cell in the south
Before my nigga Core bailed me out
To get by, just to get by
Just to get by, just to get by
We do or die like Bed-Stuy
through the red sky
With the window of the red eye
Let the lead fly,
on some G. Rap shit, "livin' to let die"
This morning, I woke up
Feeling brand new, I jumped up
Feeling my highs (yeah) and my lows (yeah)
In my soul (yeah) and my goals
Just to stop smokin', and stop drinkin'
And I've been thinkin, I've got my reasons
Just to get (by), just to get (by)
Just to get (by), just to get (by)
(Ba ba ba, ba ba bada
Ba ba bada, ba ba bada, ba ba badah)
Just to get (by), just to get (by)
Just to get...
Just to get by
(Ba ba bada, ba ba bada
Ba ba bada, ba ba badah)
Just to get (by), just to get (by)
Just to get (by, by-by)
We keep it gangster say "fo shizzle",
"fo sheezy" and "stayin' crunk"
Its easy to pull a breezy,
smoke trees, and we stay drunk
Yo, our activism attackin' the system,
the blacks and latins in prison
Numbers of prison
they victim black in the vision
Shit and all they got is rappin' to listen to
I let them know we missin' you,
the love is unconditional
Even when the condition is critical,
when the livin' is miserable
Your position is pivotal, I ain't bullshittin' you
Now, why would I lie?
Just to get by?
Just to get by, we get fly
The TV got us reachin' for stars
Not the ones between Venus and Mars,
the ones be readin' for parts
Some people get breast enhancements
and penis enlargers
Saturday sinners,
Sunday morning at the feet of the father
They need somethin to rely on,
we get high on all types of drug
When, all you really need is love
To get by, just to get by
Just to get by, just to get by
Our parents sing like John Lennon,
"imagine all the people watch"
We rock like Paul McCartney
from now until the last Beatle drop
This morning, I woke up
Feeling brand new, I jumped up
Feeling my highs (yeah) and my lows (yeah)
In my soul (yeah) and my goals
Just to stop smokin', and stop drinkin'
And I've been thinkin, I've got my reasons
Just to get (by), just to get (by)
Just to get (by), just to get (by)
Yo-yo-yo-yo-yo
Some people cry, and some people try
Just to get by, for a piece of the pie
You love to eat and get high
We deceive when we lie, and we keepin' it fly
Y-y-y-yo yo
When, the people decide, to keep a disguise
Can't see they eyes, see the evil inside
But there's people you find
Strong or feeble in mind,
I stay readin' the signs
Y-y-y-yo yo
Some people cry, and some people try
Just to get by, for a piece of the pie
You love to eat and get high
We deceive when we lie, and we keepin' it fly
Y-y-y-yo yo
When, the people decide, to keep a disguise
Can't see they eyes, see the evil inside
But there's people you find
Strong or feeble in mind,
I stay readin' the signs
Y-y-y-yo yo (ay yeah)
Talib Kweli 
