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Ten Thousand Hours Lyrics by MacKlemore, Ryan Lewis

The Heist

2012

[Verse 1]
Uh, I hope that God decides to talk through 'em
That the people decide to walk with 'em
Regardless of Pitchfork, cosigns I've jumped
Make sure the sound man doesn't cockblock the drums
Let the snare knock the air right outta your lungs
And those words be the oxygen, just breathe
Amen, regardless, I'ma say it
Felt like I got signed the day that I got an agent
Got an iTunes check, shit, man, I'm payin' rent
'Bout damn time that I got out of my basement
'Bout damn time I got around the country and I hit these stages
I was made to slay them
Ten thousand hours, I'm so damn close I can taste it
On some Malcolm Gladwell, David-Bowie-meets-Kanye shit
This is dedication
A life lived for art is never a life wasted
Ten thousand
[Chorus]
Ten thousand hours felt like ten thousand hands
Ten thousand hands, they carry me
Ten thousand hours felt like ten thousand hands
Ten thousand hands, they carry me
[Verse 2]
Now, now, now
This is my world, this is my arena
The TV told me something different, I didn't believe it
I stand here in front of you today all because of an idea
I could be who I wanted if I could see my potential
And I know that one day I'ma be him
Put the gloves on, sparrin' with my ego
Everyone's greatest obstacle, I beat 'em
Celebrate that achievement
Got some attachments, some baggage, I'm actually workin' on leavin', see
I observed Escher, I love Basquiat
I watched Keith Haring, you see, I study art
The greats weren't great because at birth they could paint
The greats were great because they'd paint a lot
I will not be a statistic, just let me be
No Child Left Behind, that's the American scheme
I make my livin' off of words and do what I love for work
And got around 980 on my SATs
Take that, system, what'd you expect?
Generation of kids choosin' love over a desk
You put those hours in, and look at what you get
Nothin' that you can hold, but everything that it is
Ten thousand
[Chorus]
Ten thousand hours felt like ten thousand hands
Ten thousand hands, they carry me
Ten thousand hours felt like ten thousand hands
Ten thousand hands, they carry me
[Verse 3]
Same shit, different day, same struggle
Slow motion as time slips through my knuckles
Nothing beautiful about it, no light at the tunnel
For the people that put their passion before them being comfortable
Raw, unmedicated heart, no substitute
Bangin' on tabletops, no Subs to toot
I'm feelin' better than ever, man, what is up with you?
Scrapin' my knuckles, I'm battlin' with some drug abuse
I lost another friend, got another call from a sister
And I speak for the people that share that struggle too
Like they got somethin' bruised
My only rehabilitation was the sweat, tears, and blood when up in the booth
[Bridge]
It's the part of the show where it all fades away
When the lights go to black and the band leaves the stage
And you wanted an encore, but there's no encore today
'Cause the moment is now, can't get it back from the grave
Part of the show, it all fades away
Lights go to black, band leaves the stage
You wanted an encore, but there's no encore today
'Cause the moment is now, can't get it back from the grave
[Outro]
Welcome to The Heist
Welcome to The Heist
Welcome to The Heist
Welcome to The Heist
Welcome to The Heist
Welcome to The Heist
Credits
MacKlemore

MacKlemore

Ryan Lewis

Ryan Lewis

About “Ten Thousand Hours” by MacKlemore

Read the complete lyrics to "Ten Thousand Hours" by MacKlemore, Ryan Lewis from the album "The Heist" in 2012. 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 Rap.

"Ten Thousand Hours" is performed by MacKlemore, Ryan Lewis. from the album "The Heist" in 2012 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 "Ten Thousand Hours", explore more songs by MacKlemore, Ryan Lewis 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.

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Frequently asked questions

"Ten Thousand Hours" is credited to MacKlemore, Ryan Lewis. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Ten Thousand Hours" appears on "The Heist" in 2012.

Visit the MacKlemore, Ryan Lewis artist page at /artist/macklemore for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.