A Whole Nation
Kirk Franklin

(feat. Donovan Owens)


Ladies and Gentlemen

I wanna introduce to you right now

Young Donovan... He's eleven (mmmmm)

The problem we're facing right now

Is we're losing our children (ooooooo)

Father's we need you (mmmmmm)

Can you feel me?


[Chorus:]

It takes a whole nation

To help me raise this generation

When you look out of your window

Tell me what do you see

If it's a world without a father

Then you're looking at me

It takes a whole nation

To help me raise this generation

My respect to the mother's that be holdin it down

But it sure would be nice to have my daddy around.


[Verse 1:]

All I need is one mic(one mic)

I know you can see

I'm not a rapper

But there's some dudes that are just like me

Everytime you took a picture with you and your family

It was only two people and it's supposed to be 3

It's supposed to be me asking

(Why's the sky blue when I grow up I wanna be like you)

Yo daddy can you teach me how to

(Tie my shoes can I go with you to work so I can see what you do?)

Lemme see what you do

So I can love my kids too

But you didn't stick around was that too much to ask of you?

Too much to get a blueprint(No)

Too much to show your way (No)

That's the reason why this building is not finished still today(We're lost boys)

So you wanna believe that (My daddy's coming back he didn't forget about me)

Only child after school

We just sit there and wait (I know he's gonna come)

Your dad is 78


[Chorus:]

It takes a whole nation (It takes a whole nation)

To help me raise this generation

When you look out of your window (Look out this evening)

Tell me what do you see

If it's a world without a father

Then you're looking at me (Come on)

It takes a whole nation (Nation)

To help me raise this generation (uh uh)

My respect to the mother's that be holdin it down

But it'd sure be nice to have my daddy around. (Daddy around)


[Verse 2:]

Check this out

They say raising kids is the parents responsibility (mmmmm)

But there's a million of Y'all and only one of me(hey)

What happened to the village as far as I can see

It's been burned down by this modern day slavery


[Donovan:]

For 11 years I've been living here

I've seen mamma cry more than 11 tears

Watchin mamma see daddy while he slips away

Does Jesus really hear kids when they pray?


[Kirk:]

She's working to jobs

She can't do it alone

She shouldn't have to she didn't get knocked up on her own

Both: And I know that baby's mamma drama

Brothas it's real

But before you close the door

Don't forget how it feels

Remember


[Donovan:]

Daddy missed my game and I made a touchdown

I won the talent show but you weren't around

If a girl breaks my heart what do I do with this pain (and one more thing daddy)

Can you tell me my name?


[Chorus:]

It takes a whole nation

To help me raise this generation (I need my daddy)

When you look out of your window

Tell me what do you see

If it's a world without a father

Then you're looking at me (Yay)

It takes a whole nation (It's a million of us)

To help me raise this generation (Oh... uh... Oh Lord)

My respect to the mother's that be holdin it down

But it'd sure be nice to have my daddy around.(Everybody that didn't have a father in your life... I want you to stand up and sing this part right here)(Hey)

Tell em!


[Bridge:]

Ain't nothing gonna break me down (Yes sir)

Can't let nobody take me down

Can't let nobody break me down

Me down (Sing it)

Say it with me now


Ain't nothing gonna break me down

Can't let nobody take me down

Can't let nobody break me down... Me down (Take me down no)

(Sing it!)


[Bridge]


Ain't nothing gonna break me down (Hey)

Can't let nobody take me down (Nobody taught me)

Can't let nobody break me down... Me down (Break me down)

(I had to figure this thing out by myself)


(Heaven can you hear me?)


Ain't nothing gonna break me down

Can't let nobody take me down (can't you here we're lonely?)(Come on)

Can't let nobody break me down... Me down (I'll be their father... I'll be their man! Come on)

(Yay)


[Chorus:]

(If you feel me say yeah!)

It takes a whole nation

(Ain't nothing gonna break me down)

To help me raise this generation(If you feel me say yeah

(Can't let nobody take me down)

(I hear you people)

When you look out of your window

(Can't let nobody break me down... me down)(If you feel me say yeah)

Tell me what do you see

If it's a world without a father (Oh)

Then you're looking at me

It takes a whole nation (I know)

(Please Lord)(You can't take my joy devil)

(Ain't nothing gonna break me down)

To help me raise this generation

(Can't let nobody take me down)(Daddy could be there?) (Sing it boy!)

My respect to the mother's that be holdin it down

(Can't let nobody break me down... me down)(Daddy could be there?... oh yea)

But it'd sure be nice to have my daddy around. (Oh)


Young Donovan (Hey)

To be continued (ooooo)

Let's go (ohhh)

Taking care of your kids is cool (mmmmm)

But if you ain't seen em since Christmas

[song drifts off]


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Lyrics by Kirk Franklin

  (outro) Hero   123 Victory   911   A God Like You   A Letter From My Friend   A Letter To My Friend   Afterwhile   Afterwhile (with Yolanda Adams)   All I Need   All We Have Is Now   Always   And I   Anything 4 U   Are You Listening   Are You Listening?   Be Like Him   Before I Die   Better   Blessing In The Storm   Breath Away   Brighter Day   Brighter Day [*]   Brighter Day [Live]   Brokenhearted   Brokenhearted (Reprise)   Brokenhearted [Live]   But The Blood   Call On The Lord   Caught Up   Chains   Conquerors   Could've Been   Could've Been Me   Could've Been Me   Declaration (This Is It!)   Declaration (This Is It)   Don't Cry   Don't Take Your Joy Away   Don't Worry   Don't Cry   Don't Take Your Joy Away   Don't Worry   Dont Take Your Joy   Down By The Riverside   Down To The River From O Brother Where Art Thou   Everyone Hurts   Faith   First Love   Free   Give Me   Go Tell It On The Mountain   Gonna Be A Lovely Day   He Can Handle It   He Loves Me   He Reigns   He Reigns (the Medley)   He Reigns – Awesome God   He Will Supply   He Will Take The Pain Away   He'll Take The Pain Away   He's Able   He's Able   He’ll Take The Pain Away   He’s Able   Hello Fear   Help Me Believe   Hero   Hide Me   Hold Me Now   Hosana   Hosanna   Hosanna [Live]   How It Used To Be   I Am   I Am God   I Can   I Like Me   I Love You, Jesus   I Need You To Survive   I Smile   I Smile (Single)   I Told The Storm   I'll Be Satisfied   I'm Free   I'll Be Satisfied   If You've Been Delivered   If You've Been Delivered   Imagine Me   Imagine Me [*][Multimedia Track]   In Love With You   Intercession   Interlude   Interlude   Interlude (Hero)   Interlude #1   Interlude: The Car (Stomp)   Interlude: The Verdict   Intro   Intro (America The Beautiful)   Intro (Hero)   It Would Take All Day   It's Over Now   It's Rainin'   It's Time   It's Over Now   It's Rainin'   Its A Blessing   Jesus   Jesus Is The Reason For The Season   Jesus Paid It All   Jesus Youre My Everthing   Jesus!   Keep Your Head   Kingdom Come   Lean On Me   Lean on Me [Choir Version]   Lean on Me [Choir Version]   Let It Go   Let Me Touch You   Let Me Touch You [Live]   Little Boy   Look At Me Now   Lookin' Out for Me   Lookin' Out For Me   Looking For You   Losing My Religion   Love   Love (remix)   Love [Remix]   Love Song   Lovely Day   Mama's Song   Mama's Song   Melodies From Heaven   Melodies From Heaven (skate remix)   Miracles   More Than I Can Bear   Movin On   My Desire   My Everything   My Hands   My Life Is In Your Hands   My Life, My Love, My All   My Love, My Life, My All   My World Needs You   Never Alone (Interlude)   Never Alone Interlude   Night That Christ Was Born   No Sleep Tonight   Nobody   Now Behold The Lamb   Now Behold the Lamb [Live]   Now Behold the Lamb [Live]   O Come All Ye Faithful   Oh Happy Day   Ooh Child   Ooh Child [*]   Ooh Child [DVD]   Ooh Child [Urban Mix]   Outro   Outro (Hero)   Outro (The Blood)   Over   Praise Joint   Praise Joint (remix)   Praise Joint [Remix]   Pray For Me   Real Love   Revelation Song   Revolution   Revolution [*]   Riverside   Road Trip   Savior More Than Life   Savior More Than Life To Me   September   September   Silent Night   Silver & Gold   Silver And Gold   Silver and Gold [Live]   Since Jesus Came   smile   Smile Again   So Good   Someday   Something About The Name Jesus   Something About The Name Jesus Pt2   Something About the Name Jesus, Pt. 2   Something About The Name Of Jesus   Speak To Me   Spend My Always   Standing In Your Grace   Still (In Control)   Still Alive   Still In Love   Stomp   Stomp (Original Mix)   Stomp (Remix)   Stomp!   Sunshine   Sweet Spirit   Thank You   Thank You For Your Child   The Altar   The Appeal   The Blood Song   The Family Worship Medley   The Last Jesus   The Moment #1   The Moment #2   The Moment Pt 2   The Night That Christ Was Born   The Process   The Reason Why We Sing   The Storm Is Over Now   The Story of Fear   The Transition   There He Is   There's No Christmas Without You   There's No Christmas Without You   They Need To Know   Throw Yo Hands Up   Till We Meet Again   Today   True Story   Try Me   Try Me (with Tamar Braxton and One Nation Crew)   Unconditional   Up Above My Head   Wake Up   Wanna Be Happy?   Washed Away   We Lift Our Hands   Whatcha Lookin 4   Whatcha Lookin' 4   Whatcha' Lookin' 4   When   When I Get There   When I Get There (With Kirk Franklin Interlude)   When I Get There [With Kirk Franklin Interlude] [L...   When You Fall   Where The Spirit Is   Why   Why We Sing   Without You   You Are   You Are The Only   You Are The Only One   You Are The Only One (album Version)

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