"Willing" lyrics - GIL SCOTT-HERON

We've all heard so many conflicting words
About life, whether wrong or right
How you gotta be workin' hard
And it ain't no easy job
To survive. Just keep it alive

We've all come to think of ourselves as links
In a chain, so much to gain
We are the ones who tie our fathers to our sons
Don't you know, that's how we grow

What my life really means is that the songs that I sing
Are just pieces of a dream that I've been building
And we can make a stand and hey, I'm reachin' for your hand
'Cause I know damn well we can if we are willing
But we gotta be...
Got to be willing [3x]

Well we've all been so close to getting in
It's always nice, with no sacrifice
But times have changed and it's no longer strange
To make a few corrections in our direction

'Cause being strong is more than just holdin' on
To advance, you gotta take a chance
Waitin' on line, it ain't nothin' but marking time
Won't get nowhere, just standing there

What my life really means is that the songs that I sing
Are just pieces of a dream that I've been building
And we can make a stand and hey, I'm reachin' for your hand
'Cause I know damn well we can if we are willing
But we gotta be...
Got to be willing [3x]

[Repeat last chorus]