Like A River – English Lyrics

• By: Joyner Lucas, Elijah James
• Album: Evolution

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

And sweet dreams, I kid myself

Have your love for good

I really had hoped you'd stay

But like the river, you just come and go

And these things, they comfort me

When my mind's on you

And I feel you comfort me

But like the river, it just comes and goes

I used to think that you was Superman when I was younger (yeah)

Findin' comfort in your voice when I was down and under

Put you on a pedestal and now I kinda wonder if that made sense

'Cause I'm convinced you showed a lot of colors (yeah)

All them night is was alone, I hid inside the covers

Used to argue with my moms whenever I was stubborn (facts)

I never warmed up to the idea of a step-dad because he wasn't you

And you and him ain't even like each other (word)

Used to bring me 'round your girlfriends as I recall

I thought one or two was cool, but I ain't like 'em all

'Cause all you ever did was argue 'bout who's right or wrong

And you ain't have no job

So you would sit at home and light a bong (yeah)

Used to crave for your attention, but I never got it

And everything you said we'd do is just another promise

You had dreams of bein' famous and I never doubted

But I started rhymin' to impress you, if we bein' honest (facts)

But we can have some bondin' time and maybe pow-wow

A father/son relationship that we can smile 'bout

At time's you got abusive and I had to bow down

Or keep on makin' music to try and compete with Bow Wow

Your father died when you was young, I think that made a scar

I started thinkin' maybe that's why you the way you are (nah)

End of the day, no excuse for how you played your part

Told myself when I became a father, I'ma raise the bar (word)

We had a lot of fallin' outs and didn't talk for years

And all them birthdays and holidays got awfully weird

You throw me in a foster home and I was brought to tears

Livin' with some strangers

Feelin' anxious, I was lost and scared (Yeah)

And now I'm starin' at the river tryna get across

And all I see is apparitions of what never was

And everything I used to wish for is dead and lost

And if I never see your ass again, I'll be better off

I'll be better off (yeah)

You are so negative (uh)

And you say you know

But you know a goddamn thing

Like the river, you just run and go

You say you could do good

And better you know

But you tried no goddamn thing

Like the river, I'ma run from you

I told myself I wouldn't write a song, but fuck it, I did

Oftentimes, I sit and wonder if it's somethin' I did

Or maybe I was immature, but is it somethin' I said?

I can't help but feel the feelin' that there's somethin' I missed

I told you somethin' happened to me and you ain't protect me (yeah)

You tried to say you ain't believe me as you disrespect me (facts)

Plus, you never had my back, in fact, you may resent me in a way

'Cause everythin' I say, you try to use against me (word)

And I never knew your other kids, but I knew of 'em (true)

I'm not really sure if I like 'em, but I do love 'em (do)

Shit, I don't even think you knew but just a few of 'em

'Cause all your baby mothers stayed away to keep you from 'em (word)

You probably out fillin' they heads with shit that's not the truth

You probably told 'em that I switched up when I got some loot (uh)

You probably told 'em that I'm greedy and I'm not so cool

That I worship the devil and I sold my soul to cop a pool (yeah)

I worked my ass off to get rich, let's not confuse

I sacrificed my whole twenties just so I can move (true)

While everybody else was chillin', hangin' out with crews

I was writin' a plan to finally win while tryin' not to lose (true)

I still remember signin' my deal and you got hella funny

And at that time, you probably figured I had hella money (yeah)

But I only got a small advance

So I ain't even get a chance to hold you down

'Cause then you started gettin' jealous of me

But I'm worth a couple million now, I turned out fine (yeah)

I copped my moms a big crib and went and got mine

An indoor pool with a house made and I'm not lyin' (nope)

A happy son who loves his dad, it's about time (yeah)

But I'm still starin' at the river tryna get across

And all I see is apparitions of what never was

And everything I used to wish for is dead and lost

And if I never see your ass again, then I'll be better off

Nigga, I'll be better off

Karma comes back and it's co-co-comin' (co-co-comin')

Treatin' me bad and I'm ru-ru-runnin' (ru-ru-runnin')

Karma comes back and it's co-co-comin' (co-co-comin')

Treatin' me bad, I'm ru-ru-runnin' (ru-ru-runnin')

And congratulations, nigga, you won

And all the love you never gave me, I can give to my son

Eternal love to my child, we'll forever be one

Thanks to you, I know the man that I would never become

Never become

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
river /ˈrɪvər/ A2	noun - a large natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another river
comfort /ˈkʌmfərt/ B1	noun - a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint verb - to ease the feelings of someone who is upset
argue /ˈɑːrɡjuː/ B1	verb - to have an angry or serious disagreement or discussion
stubborn /ˈstʌbərn/ B2	adjective - having or showing dogged determination not to change one's attitude or position on something
crave /kreɪv/ B2	verb - to have an intense and uncontrollable desire for something
promise /ˈprɒmɪs/ A2	noun - a declaration assuring that one will do something or that a particular thing will happen verb - to assure someone that one will definitely do something or that something will happen
doubt /daʊt/ B1	verb - to feel uncertain or unsure about something noun - a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction
abusive /əˈbjuːsɪv/ C1	adjective - characterised by cruel and violent treatment
scar /skɑːr/ A2	noun - a mark left on the skin after a wound has healed
excuse /ɪkˈskjuːz/ B1	noun - a reason or explanation put forward to defend or justify a fault or offense verb - to attempt to lessen the blame attaching to (a fault or offense)
fallin' /ˈfɔːlɪn/ A2	verb - to move downwards, typically rapidly and without control
tears /tɪərz/ A1	noun - drops of clear liquid produced by the eye when a person is upset or in pain
anxious /ˈæŋkʃəs/ B2	adjective - experiencing worry, unease, or nervousness, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome
apparition /əˌpærɪˈʃən/ C1	noun - a ghost or ghostly image
negative /ˈneɡətɪv/ B1	adjective - expressing disagreement or refusal
run /rʌn/ A1	verb - to move at a speed faster than a walk
sacrifice /ˈsækrifaɪs/ B2	verb - an act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else
million /ˈmɪljən/ A2	noun - a large number, specifically one million units

Key Grammar Structures

• But like the river, you just come and go

  ➔ Simile

  ➔ Uses "like the river" to directly compare someone's transient behavior to a river's natural flow

• I used to think that you was Superman when I was younger

  ➔ Used to + base verb

  ➔ "Used to think" describes past habitual actions or states that no longer exist

• And if I never see your ass again, I'll be better off

  ➔ First Conditional

  ➔ Uses "if" + present simple ("never see") followed by future simple ("I'll be") to express a real future possibility

• You probably told 'em that I switched up when I got some loot

  ➔ Reported Speech

  ➔ Uses "that" clause to report what someone said indirectly ("told 'em that I switched up")

• I worked my ass off to get rich

  ➔ Infinitive of Purpose

  ➔ Uses "to get" (infinitive) after the main verb to express the purpose of the action

• A father/son relationship that we can smile 'bout

  ➔ Defining Relative Clause

  ➔ Uses "that" to introduce essential information about the noun "relationship"

• I was brought to tears

  ➔ Passive Voice

  ➔ Uses "was brought" (past simple passive) to emphasize the experience rather than who caused it

• I started thinkin' maybe that's why you the way you are

  ➔ Verb Ellipsis

  ➔ Omits "are" in "you the way you are" (informal speech: "you are the way you are")