Lyrics : Gene Thornton/Stevie Wonder/Terrence Thornton
Music : Pharrell Williams/Stevie Wonder/Terrence Thornton/Gene Thornton
Birds don't, birds don't, birds don't, birds don't
Lost in emotion, Mama's youngest
Tryna navigate life without my compass
Some experience death and feel numbness
But not me, I felt it all and couldn't function
Seeing you that day
Telling you my plans, but I was leaving you that day
It was in God's hands
Ye was at Elon's, waiting to get wit' me
On my way to Texas, that's when Virginia hit me
And I realized in that instant
Our last conversation, you was against it
Told you I was going to Turks for Thanksgiving
I heard what I wanted to hear, but didn't listen
You said you told Gene that Bup needed forgiveness
I see you went to DD's and stuffed both her fridges
You even told Dad you wish y'all never splitted
See you were checking boxes
I was checking my mentions
Saying you was tired, but not ready to go
Basically was dying without letting me know
I love you met Nige, hate that he won't remember you
Two things that break my heart is what Novembers do
And T follows you, now mind you
DD calls you, Gene finds you
Was that your vision?
Precision
While I'm reminiscing
It all hits different, Ma, listen
The birds don't sing, yeah
The birds don't sing, they screech in pain, pain
The birds don't sing (Oh-oh)
The birds don't sing, they screech in pain
Oh, they screech in pain
The birds don't sing
The birds don't sing, they screech in pain
Your car was in the driveway
I knew you were home
By the third knock, a chill ran through my bones
The way you missed Mama, I guess I shoulda known
Chivalry ain't dead, you ain't let her go alone
Found you in the kitchen, scriptures in the den
Half written texts that you never got to send
Combing through your dresser drawer, where do I begin?
Post-it noted Bible quotes, were you preparing then?
I can hear your voice now, I can feel your presence
Asking, "Should I rap again?" You gave me your blessing
The way you spelled it out, there's an L in every lesson
"Boy, you owe it to the world
Let your mess become your message"
Shared you with my friends, the Pops they never had
You lived for our fishing trips, damn, I had a dad
Mine taught discipline, mine taught structure
Mine didn't mind when he had to pull a double
Mine worked overtime, smiled through the struggle
'Cause mine wouldn't let us feel what he had to suffer
See mine made sure he had every base covered
So imagine his pain, finding base in the cupboard
Birds don't sing if the words don't sting
Your last few words in my ear still ring (Whoa)
You told me that you loved me, it was all in your tone
I love my two sons was the code to your phone, now you home (Oh-oh, ah-ah)
Oh, the birds don't sing
No, they don't
The birds don't sing, they screech in pain
Don't the truth ruin it, now it feels different when, when they doing it
Pain, pain
The birds don't sing
No, they don't and they won't
The birds don't sing, they screech in pain
They don't sing, they just screech in pain, it's a cycle
Pain
They do that shit over and over again (Oh-ah)
The birds don't sing
The birds don't sing, they screech in pain
All the birds, they screech in pain (Oh-ah)
The birds don't sing (Yeah)
The birds don't sing, they screech in pain
They'll never come back again, no, no
Remember those who lost their mothers and fathers
And make sure that every single moment that you have with them
You show them love
You show them love
You'll see