"Apple Tree (Live)" lyrics - ERYKAH BADU

It was a stormy night
You know the kind where the lightning strike
And I was hangin' out with some of my artsy friends
The night was long, the night went on
People coolin' out until the break of dawn
Incense was burnin' so I'm feelin right... a'ight
See I picks my friends like I pick my fruit
And Granny told me that when I was only a youth
I don't walk around trying to be what I'm not
I don't waste my time trying to get what you got
I work at pleasing me 'cause I can't please you
And that's why I do what I do
My soul flies free like a willow tree
Doo wee doo wee do wee

[Chorus:]
And if you don't want to be down with me
You don't want to pick from my appletree
And if you don't want to be down with me
Then you don't want to pick from my appletree
And if you don't want to be down with me
Then you don't want to pick from my appletree
And if you don't want to be down with me
You just don't want to be down

See, I have a ho
And I take it everywhere I go
'Cause I'm planting seeds so I reaps what I sow...ya know, ya know
Oh, on and on, and on and on
My cipher keeps moving like a rolling stone
I can't control the soul flowing in me, ooh wee
See, I picks my friends like I pick my fruit
And Granny told me that when I was only a youth
I don't walk around trying to be what I'm not
Can't stand a motherfucker trying to get what I got
I work at pleasing me 'cause I can't please you
And that's why I do what I do
My soul flies free like a willow tree
Doo wee doo wee do wee

[Chorus:]
And if you don't want to be down with me
You don't want to pick from my appletree
And if you don't want to be down with me...ya dum dum ditty
And if you don't want to be down with me
You don't want to pick from my appletree
And if you don't want to be down with me
You just don't want to be down

[Bridge:]
Over here, I want y'all to say...oh my my my, come on...
Oh my my my
On this side, y'all say it...oh my my my
Oh my my my
In the middle, oh my my my
Oh my my my
Oh my my my my my my my, my my my, my my my my my my
Oh, on and on, on on and on
My cipher keeps moving like a rolling stone
Oh, on and on, and on and on
My cipher keeps moving like a rolling stone
I go on, on, on
My cipher keeps moving like a rolling stone
On, on, oh, on
My cipher keeps moving like a rolling stone

[Outro dialogue]
Hey, I'd like to thank the Creator for giving me this gift
And I'd like to thank you for being reflections of this gift
Because sometimes you feel like you're by yourself up here
And um, no matter what anybody ever thinks
What anybody ever thinks, I still get cold when it's cold
Hungry when I'm hungry
Miss my momma when we're away
Get tired
I'm a person, and I represent you
I'd like to dedicate this song to my baby Fly and Tom
Because I am her yeyo - yeyo means "mother" in Swahili