[Verse 1: Raphael Saadiq, Raphael Saadiq & Dawn Robinson]
I was walking down the street
Looking at my feet
I didn't have no shoes
On the way to school
Looking like a fool
And everybody knew
But it was all right
'Cause my friends of mine
Knew I had a guitar
They knew I would play
Become a big star
And I would go so far

[Chorus: Raphael Saadiq & Dawn Robinson, Dawn]
Remember the times
When I didn't have a dime
We remember the times
When I didn't have a dime
Those were the best days

[Verse 2: Raphael Saadiq, Raphael Saadiq & Dawn Robinson]
Going down the street, playing at the mall
On them cheap bikes
Looking for somebody to steal
Somebody to rob and somebody to fight
I didn't know my name as well
As I knew my friends
But I knew we were so cool
But everybody wanted to play by their own rules
We didn't go to school
[Chorus: Raphael Saadiq & Dawn Robinson, Dawn]
I remember the times
(Remember the time)
When I didn't have a dime
(Not even a dime)
I remember the times
(Remember the times)
When I didn't have a dime
(Not even a dime)
Those were the best days

[Verse 3: Raphael Saadiq, Raphael Saadiq & Dawn Robinson, Dawn]
By the time I was fourteen or fifteen
Trying to pass my driver's test
The thing to do was to drive to school
'Cause I could never win for best dressed
(I could never win for best dressed)
I drove a raggedy car
To sneak in the bars
Young boy life has no stress
(Young boy life has no stress)
Watching cartoon
And popping balloons
That was the best

[Chorus: Raphael Saadiq & Dawn Robinson, Dawn]
Remember the times
(Remember the times)
When I didn't have a dime
(Not even a dime)
I remember the times
(Remember the times)
When I didn't have a dime
(Not even a dime)
Those were the best days
[Outro]
Yeah, I was in junior high school 35
And um, I think it was '82 or '83
And everyone was wearing these Nikes
You know the ones with the little suede lip on the front and the canvas
It wasn't canvas like nylon, the Swoosh or whatever
I told my mom I wanted those, so we went down to Modell's
Heh, she saw the price, she was like
"Well, we could get two of them other little cheap things for the same price as those"
Man, I remember that