[Intro]
And any man who knows a thing
Knows he knows not a damn, damn thing at all
And every time I felt the hurting
I felt the giving getting me up off the wall
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breeze
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breeze

[Verse 1: K'naan]
How did Mandela get the will to surpass the everyday
When injustice had him caged and trapped in every way?
How did Gandhi ever withstand the hunger strikes and all?
Didn't do it to gain power or money if I recall
It's to give, I guess I'll pass it on
Mother thinks it'll lift the stress of Babylon
My mother knows; my mother, she suffered blows
I don't know how we survived such violent episodes
I was so worried, it hurt to see you bleed
But as soon as you came out the hospital, you gave me sweets, yeah
They tried to take you from me but you still only gave 'em some prayers and sympathy
Dear Mama, you helped me write this
By showing me to give is priceless

[Chorus]
And any man who knows a thing
Knows he knows not a damn, damn thing at all
And every time I felt the hurting
I felt the giving getting me up off the wall
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breeze
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breeze
[Verse 2: K'naan]
All I can say is the worst is over now
We can serve the hard times, divorce, it's over now
They try to keep us out but the doors is open now
My n***a Akon is getting awards and covers now
This is K'naan, and still repping the S
Coming out of Mogadishu and still draped in the mess
And no matter how we strong homie
It ain't easy coming out of where we from, homie
And it's the reason why I can never play for me
"Tell 'em the truth" is what my dead homies told me, ooh, yeah
I take inspiration from the most heinous of situations
Creating medication out my own tribulations
Dear Africa, you helped me write this
By showing me to give is priceless

[Chorus]
And any man who knows a thing
Knows he knows not a damn, damn thing at all
And every time I felt the hurting
I felt the giving getting me up off the wall
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breeze
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it ride
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breeze
[Outro]
Nothing is perfect, man, that's what the world is
All I know is
I'm enjoying today, you know
'Cause it ain't every day that you get to give