[00:01.15]You are appreciated
[00:07.09]When I was young me and my mama had beef
[00:09.07]Seventeen years old kicked out on the streets
[00:12.15]Though back at the time, I never thought I'd see her face
[00:15.00]Ain't a woman alive that could take my mama's place
[00:18.06]Suspended from school; and scared to go home, I was a fool
[00:21.39]With the big boys, breakin all the rules
[00:24.41]I shed tears with my baby sister
[00:26.15]Over the years we was poorer than the other little kids
[00:29.58]And even though we had different daddy's, the same drama
[00:33.00]When things went wrong we'd blame mama
[00:35.56]I reminice on the stress I caused, it was hell
[00:38.32]Huggin on my mama from a jail cell
[00:42.04]And who'd think in elementary?
[00:44.34]Heeey! I see the penitentiary, one day
[00:47.73]And runnin from the police, that's right
[00:50.58]Mama catch me, put a whoopin to my backside
[00:53.64]And even as a crack fiend, mama
[00:56.21]You always was a black queen, mama
[00:59.46]I finally understand
[01:00.65]for a woman it ain't easy tryin to raise a man
[01:04.89]You always was committed
[01:06.62]A poor single mother on welfare, tell me how ya did it
[01:10.00]There's no way I can pay you back
[01:12.03]But the plan is to show you that I understand
[01:15.26]You are appreciated
[01:16.32]Lady...
[01:18.82]Don't cha know we love ya? Sweet lady
[01:21.68]Dear mama(Lady)
[01:24.28]Place no one above ya, sweet lady
[01:27.04]You are appreciated(Lady)
[01:29.75]Don't cha know we love ya?
[01:33.18]Now ain't nobody tell us it was fair
[01:35.01]No love from my daddy cause the coward wasn't there
[01:37.82]He passed away and I didn't cry, cause my anger
[01:41.05]Wouldn't let me feel for a stranger
[01:43.65]They say I'm wrong and I'm heartless, but all along
[01:46.78]I was lookin for a father he was gone
[01:49.60]I hung around with the Thugs, and even though they sold drugs
[01:52.85]They showed a young brother love
[01:55.37]I moved out and started really hangin
[01:57.32]I needed money of my own so I started slangin
[02:00.44]I ain't guilty cause, even though I sell rocks
[02:02.63]It feels good puttin money in your mailbox
[02:06.00]I love payin rent when the rent's due
[02:08.76]I hope ya got the diamond necklace that I sent to you
[02:11.90]Cause when I was low you was there for me
[02:14.45]And never left me alone because you cared for me
[02:17.26]And I could see you comin home after work late
[02:19.97]You're in the kitchen tryin to fix us a hot plate
[02:23.67]Ya just workin with the scraps you was given
[02:26.06]And mama made miracles every Thanksgivin
[02:29.32]But now the road got rough, you're alone
[02:31.77]You're tryin to raise two bad kids on your own
[02:34.64]And there's no way I can pay you back
[02:37.29]But my plan is to show you that I understand
[02:40.32]You are appreciated
[02:41.40]Lady...
[02:43.81]Don't cha know we love ya? Sweet lady
[02:46.97]Dear mama(Lady)
[02:49.63]Place no one above ya, sweet lady
[02:52.64]You are appreciated(Lady)
[02:55.41]Don't cha know we love ya?
[02:58.28]Pour out some liquor and I reminsce, cause through the drama
[03:01.17]I can always depend on my mama
[03:03.49]And when it seems that I'm hopeless
[03:05.84]You say the words that can get me back in focus
[03:09.58]When I was sick as a little kid
[03:11.52]To keep me happy there's no limit to the things you did
[03:15.19]And all my childhood memories
[03:17.33]Are full of all the sweet things you did for me
[03:20.91]And even though I act craaazy
[03:23.21]I gotta thank the Lord that you made me
[03:26.29]There are no words that can express how I feel
[03:28.89]You never kept a secret, always stayed real
[03:31.85]And I appreciate, how you raised me
[03:34.36]And all the extra love that you gave me
[03:37.84]I wish I could take the pain away
[03:40.05]If you can make it through the night there's a brighter day
[03:43.01]Everything will be alright if ya hold on
[03:45.83]It's a struggle everyday, gotta roll on
[03:49.08]And there's no way I can pay you back
[03:51.60]But my plan is to show you that I understand
[03:54.20]You are appreciated
[03:55.62]Lady...
[03:58.08]Don't cha know we love ya? Sweet lady
[04:01.23]Dear mama(Lady)
[04:03.63]Place no one above ya, sweet lady
[04:06.72]You are appreciated(Lady)
[04:09.32]Don't cha know we love ya?
[04:11.83]Sweet lady
[04:12.76]And dear mama
[04:18.22]Dear mama