Artist: Common f/ Cee-Lo 
Album:  One Day It'll All Make Sense 
Song:   G.O.D. (Gaining One's Definition) 
 
Common: 
After bein' 25, you know, just trying to survive in the world 
Bout to have a little boy or baby girl. Who knows? 
Anyway, just when you start gettin that little age and experience to you
You start thinkin about stuff...tryin to make the right moves 
So bust it out, this is what I was thinkin, check it 
  
Yo, the education of the Lon-chicka-Lonnie Lynn 
Began, began with time 
Bein my bloodline is one with the divine 
In time brotha, you will discover the light 
Some say that God is Black and the Devil's White 
Well, the Devil is wrong and God is what's right 
I fight, with myself in the ring of doubt and fear 
The rain ain't gone, but I can still see clear 
As a child, given religion with no answer to why 
Just told believe in Jesus cuz for me he did die 
Curiosity killed the catechism
Understanding and wisdom became the rhythm that I played to 
And became a slave to master self 
A rich man is one with knowledge, happiness and his health 
My mind had dealt with the books of Zen, Tao the lessons 
Koran and the Bible, to me they all vital 
And got truth within 'em, gotta read them boys 
You just can't skim 'em, different branches of belief 
But one root that stem 'em, but people of the venom try to trim 'em 
And use religion as an emblem 
When it should be a natural way of life 
Who am I or they to say to whom you pray ain't right 
That's who got you doin right and got you this far 
Whether you say "in Jesus name" or Hum do Allah 
Long as you know it's a bein' that's supreme to you 
You let that show towards others in the things you do 
Cuz when the trumpets blowin, 24 elders surround the throne 
Only 144,000 gon get home 
Only 144,000 gon get home 
Only 144,000 gon get it baby 
 
Chorus Cee-Lo: 
I've lived and I've learned 
I have taken and I've earned 
I have laughed, I've cried 
I have failed and I have tried 
Sunshine, pouring rain 
found joy through all my pain 
I just wanna be happy with being me 
 
Cee-Lo: 
Let me voice my concern 
So many of my fellow brothers have given themselves a title 
That their actions didn't earn 
Our ignorance is in the same breath as our innocence 
Subconciously, seeking to find an impressionable mind to convince 
I've finally come to the realization why Black people in the worse place 
Cuz it's hard to correct yourself when you don't know 
Who you are in the first place 
So I try to find the clue in you 
But evidently, White folks know more Black history than we do 
Why're we bein' lied to? I ain't know our history was purposely hidden
Damn, somethin' in me wanna know who I am 
So I began my search, my journey started in church 
It gave my heartache relief when I started to understand belief 
Hustlin was like a gift spent my share of time in the streets 
Taught me survival from this evil I'm just gonna have to deal with 
And I felt like a fool when I tried to learn it in school 
It almost seemed like a rehearsal when the only 
Science and math are universal 
Takin elder advice, read the Bible, the Koran 
Searched scrolls from the Hebrew Israelites 
Hold on, this ain't right, Jesus wasn't White 
Some leads were granted with insight 
and it's all in the plan, but it took me some time to overstand
He still created with the imperfection of man 
So, with followin' I disagree 
By no means have I forgotten or forgiven what's been done to me but 
I do know the Devil ain't no White man, the Devil's a spiritual mind 
That's color blind, there's evil White folk and evil niggas
You gon surely find there's no positivity without negativity
But one side you gonna have to choose 
Any chance to speak I refuse to misuse
So how can you call yourself God when you let a worldly possession 
become an obsession and the way you write your rhymes and 
Can't follow your lesson 
If a seed's sown, you make sure it's known, you make sure it's grown 
If you God, then save your own, don't mentally enslave your own 
If you God, then save your own, don't mentally enslave your own 
If you God, then save your own, don't mentally enslave your own 
 
Well, I've lived and I've learned 
I've taken and I've earned 
I have laughed, I have cried 
I failed and I have tried 
Sunshine, pourin rain 
I found joy through my pain 
Just wanna be happy...bein me 
Bein me