I was just a little girl, skinny legs and pressing curl My mother always thought I'd be a star Way before the record deal, streets that nurtured Lauryn Hill Made sure that I'd never go too far Every ghetto, every city, that suburban place I been Make me recall my days in New Jerusalem Story starts in Hooterville, grew up next to Ivy Hill When kids were stealing cordial deals for fun Killed a guy and caught a pawn, rode a mongoose till it's dawn Watchin' kids show off the stolen ones Every ghetto, every city, that suburban place I been Make me recall my days in New Jerusalem You know it's hard, don't forget what you got Lookin' back, lookin' back, lookin' back, lookin' back You know it's hard, don't forget what you got Lookin' back, lookin' back, lookin' back, lookin' back Bag of bon-tons, 20 cents and a nickel Springfield, I have had the best popsicles Saturday morning cartoons and kung fu Main street roots, tonic with the drens Beef patty and some cocoa bread Moved the patch from my leaves to the tongue of my shoes Remember, Freelon Heiston used to have the bomb leather Back when Doug Fresh and Slick Rick was together Lookin' at the proof, we thought we'd all live forever You know it's hard, don't forget what you got Lookin' back, lookin' back, lookin' back, lookin' back You know it's hard, don't forget what you got Lookin' back, lookin' back, lookin' back, lookin' back Drill teams on Munn Street Remember when Hawthorne and Chancellor had beef Movin' records was our chance to laugh I was there at dancin' school Southhorn traffic, ballin' pool Unaware of what we didn't have Writin' my friends' names on my jeans with a marker July 4th races outside Parker Fireworks in Martin Stadium The untouchable P.S.P. For all them crazy niggas we Had coffee, got away through Irvington Hillside brings beef with the cops Self-destruction, record drops And everybody's name was Muslim Sensations in 88 Attracted kids from Malta State And everybody used to do the walk Jack the, jack the, jack your body Now the Bismarck used to amp up the party I wish those days, days didn't stop Every ghetto, every city And suburban place I've been May I be with all my days in every city You know it's hard, don't forget what you got Lookin' back, lookin' back Lookin' back, lookin' back You know it's hard, don't forget what you got Lookin' back, lookin' back Lookin' back, lookin' back You know it's hard, don't forget what you got Lookin' back, lookin' back Lookin' back, lookin' back Lookin' back, lookin' back Lookin' back, lookin' back Lookin' back, lookin' back Lookin' back, lookin' back Lookin' back, lookin' back Oh, love is just a feeling It happens when you like somebody And you want to fall in love with them And you can totally feel the same way Like you didn't think it was them Do that, okay, okay