”The Show Goes On" is a song by American recording artist Lupe Fiasco released on October 26, 2010 as the lead single from his third studio album Lasers. The song was nominated for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song at the 54th Grammy Awards.
In Real Life covered the song during the North America leg for their Tonight Belongs To You Tour, usually as the last song of their show. They performed the first two verses, where Michael made his own alternate freestyle but didn't use it for all of the shows.
Contents
Lyrics
[Chorus: All but Michael]
Alright
Already the show goes on all night
'Til the morning we dream so long
Anybody ever wonder
When they would see the sun up
Just remember when you come up
The show goes on!
Alright
Already the show goes on all night
'Til the morning we dream so long
Anybody ever wonder
When they would see the sun up
Just remember when you come up
The show goes on!
[Verse 1: Michael Conor]
Have you ever had the feeling
That you was being had
Don't that shit that make you mad
They treat you like a slave
With chains all on your soul
And put whips up on your back
They be lying through they teeth
Hope you slip up off your path
I don't switch up I just laugh
Put my kicks up on their desk
Unaffected by their threats
Then get busy on they ass
See that's how that Cleveland made me
That's how my daddy raised me
That glittering may not be gold
Don't let nobody play me
If you are my homeboy
You never have to pay me
Go on and put your hands up
When times is hard you stand up
L-U-P the man
'Cause the brand
That the fans trust
So even if they ban us
They'll never slow my plans up!
[Chorus: All but Michael]
Alright
Already the show goes on all night
'Til the morning we dream so long
Anybody ever wonder
When they would see the sun up
Just remember when you come up
The show goes on!
Alright
Already the show goes on all night
'Til the morning we dream so long
Anybody ever wonder
When they would see the sun up
Just remember when you come up
The show goes on!
[Verse 2: Michael Conor]
One in the air for the people ain't here
Two in the air for the father that's there
Three in the air for the kids in the ghetto
Four for the kids that don't wanna be there
None for the - tryna to hold them back
Five in the air for the teacher not scared
To tell those kids that's living in the ghetto
That the - holding back that the world is theirs!
Yeah, yeah, the world is yours
I was once that little boy
Terrified of the world
Now we're on a world tour
I would give up everything
Even start a world war
For these little girls and boys I'm rapping 'round the world for!
Africa to New York
Haiti then I detour
Oakland out to Auckland
Gaza Strip to Detroit
Hip--hop only destroy
Tell 'em look at me, boy!
I hope your son don't have a gun
And never be a D-boy
[Chorus: All but Michael]
Alright
Already the show goes on all night
'Til the morning we dream so long
Anybody ever wonder
When they would see the sun up
Just remember when you come up
The show goes on!
Alright
Already the show goes on all night
'Til the morning we dream so long
Anybody ever wonder
When they would see the sun up
Just remember when you come up
The show goes on!
Alternate Verse
My whole life I wanted one shot
Pray the Lord to give me one chance
I'm gonna give it everything I got
Forget the ones who tell me I can't
Forget the ones who tell me I won't
Forget the ones who see where I stand [?]
Everybody said I couldn't and they turned but they bid it just to see where I am [?]
And I'll never be alone
Just the [?] in the gang we can't wait to take the throne
Tryna show my Ma I can do this on my own
Always be your little boy, but now that little boy has grown
Is the fact that I have chose, I am never going back
You still look up at the stars, now take a look at where we're at
Ain't nobody leaving, nobody going home
Even if they turn the lights off the show goes on!
Trivia
- Michael had his own freestyle for the second verse, performing it in Maryland and New York but in the Chicago show used Lupe Fiasco's lyrics.
