[Intro] ...I'm mad nice Yeah, I'm mad nice ...I'm mad nice ...I'm mad nice [Verse 1] I take the words they throw like stones and turn them in my hand I don't need a shining buckle just to know where I stand Auntie's porch, the summer heat, a screen door slamming twice My brother calls me from the corner, says, "You still mad nice?" Keep my pockets folded, let the long road choose its pace I can laugh at my reflection, I can look it in the face Never parked between the answers, never tame enough to settle I keep time with my own footsteps, making peace with every level Tell my mother, tell my sisters, we are still right here Brooklyn in the soles of us, the old block in our ears [Pre-Chorus] From the east side, west side, north side, south From the back step, front gate, word of mouth Farther out and closer in, wherever people gather Say it once and pass it on, let every voice answer [Chorus] I'm mad nice I'm mad nice Say it again, I'm mad nice All together, I'm mad nice ...I'm mad nice ...I'm mad nice Keep it rolling, I'm mad nice ...I'm mad nice [Verse 2] That old man at the bodega knows the weather by his knees He keeps quarters in a coffee tin and argues with the breeze I hear the train shake window glass; the supper pots are warm Somebody's kid is drawing crooked suns across the storm I learned to make a little room when the whole room gets too loud To carry what I mean without announcing to the crowd I can turn a hard day's sentence till it loses half its bite Then give it back with open hands and leave the porch light bright Tell my mother, tell my sisters, let the whole block know We don't have to raise our voices just to make the feeling grow [Pre-Chorus] From the east side, west side, north side, south From the back step, front gate, word of mouth Farther out and closer in, wherever people gather Say it once and pass it on, let every voice answer [Chorus] I'm mad nice I'm mad nice Say it again, I'm mad nice All together, I'm mad nice ...I'm mad nice ...I'm mad nice Keep it rolling, I'm mad nice ...I'm mad nice [Bridge] Hold the door, let the whole room in Hold the door, let the whole room in One voice starts, then another replies Same old truth in a different disguise Hold the door, let the whole room in Hold the door, let the whole room in [Mantra] Mad nice, mad nice Mad nice, mad nice Mad nice, mad nice Mad nice, mad nice [Final Chorus] I'm mad nice I'm mad nice Say it again, I'm mad nice All together, I'm mad nice ...I'm mad nice ...I'm mad nice Keep it rolling, I'm mad nice ...I'm mad nice [Outro] I'm mad nice I'm mad nice I'm mad nice I'm mad nice ...I'm mad nice ...I'm mad nice I'm mad nice I'm mad nice
