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High Expectations Lyrics by Common

Thisisme Then: The Best of Common

1997

[Intro]
Come on, let's get started. Don't listen to that street talk. That street talk is dead. Don't be talking about no drugs and no popped Uzis around here. If you ain't got no basketball in your hand and wanna shoot it out, you gotta go somewhere else

[Hook: Sample from Chaka Khan's "Move Me No Mountain"] (x2)
I don't expect you to be something you're not
All I expect you to give is all you got

[Verse 1: Common]
Yo, yo, check it
Unattached and calm, sundaes and pills I palm
With intentions to make it to the league
Intrigued by two-letter cars, SE's and GS'ses
On the court, niggas I leave like messages
Plagued by this ball-player exorcist
It's sort of foul how the world be reffin' us
Kenny is our Moses in this five-on-five Exodus
For the game of life, full courts ain't preppin' us
Schools want me, but the ghost of Manigault haunts me
Plus they wanna crib me, way out in the country
I'm city like street lights and some games that be fights
Never worked on my left so it's hard to be right
Either rich, poor, or Mike is who I wanna be like
Story of many black males that I refuse to rewrite

[Hook: Sample from Chaka Khan's "Move Me No Mountain"] (x2)
I don't expect you to be something you're not
All I expect you to give is all you got

[Verse 2: Common]
Yo, brothers opinions is Bias-ed, like Len
That I'll end up like Ben... Wilson—still, some pretend to be friends
Beneath the grin, I see the jinn spoke of in the Surah
More so than my soul, my jumper is purer
People play juror. I witness the fall of legends
Once was the joint—now they resin. Got a God-given present
My gallant talent is like a magic
Trick turned by a chick with a bad habit
Opportunity to move, I grab it
Me and my moms had static. Now I reek Hennessy and havoc
Man to man talks with Kenny send me to a zone
Been on my own for so long, my vocal tone's grown
Competition gets blown like speakers
When I cross her like Jesus out of bleachers, broads, and beepers
Yeah I boogey it's all good, but it could be better
Want to stay eighteen forever
But now I stay on point like Rod in this Strickland
If Brooklyn courts was a campus, then I would be the big man

[Hook: Sample from Chaka Khan's "Move Me No Mountain"] (x2)
I don't expect you to be something you're not
All I expect you to give is all you got

[Verse 3: Common]
From thoughts that pennies bring, I assemble teams like the Kenny Kings
Think fast over breaks, dialect I'm dribbling
Remembering night posters of Moses and the Supreme Court
Realizing that rap and life are team sports
I follow these thoughts
Moves never receive thought, lyrical Johnny Cochran
'Cause of the way I free thought
The system make a nigga think to make it that he need sports
Or either to the tip he gotta resort
My seed'll be taught to start his own in the George Carter zone
Don't wanna be a dope MC living in his momma's home
Or speaking to my fans in a starving artist tone
Unknown zones I roam with mind architecture
Spark the lecture, emphasizing: let God direct ya

[Hook: Sample from Chaka Khan's "Move Me No Mountain"] (x4)
I don't expect you to be something you're not
All I expect you to give is all you got
Credits
Common

Common

About “High Expectations” by Common

Read the complete lyrics to "High Expectations" by Common from the album "Thisisme Then: The Best of Common" in 1997. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Soundtrack, Underground Rap, Hip-Hop.

"High Expectations" is performed by Common. from the album "Thisisme Then: The Best of Common" in 1997 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "High Expectations", explore more songs by Common using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Common · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"High Expectations" is credited to Common. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"High Expectations" appears on "Thisisme Then: The Best of Common" in 1997.

Visit the Common artist page at /artist/common for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.

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