Yeah, I know sometimes, things may not always make sense to you right now
But hey, what daddy always tell you?
Straighten up little soldier, stiffen up that upper lip
What you crying about?
You got me

Hailie, I know you miss your mom, and I know you miss your dad
When I’m gone, but I’m trying to give you the life that I never had
I can see you’re sad, even when you smile, even when you laugh
I can see it in your eyes, deep inside, you want to cry

’Cause you’re scared; I ain’t there? Daddy’s with you in your prayers
No more crying, wipe them tears; daddy’s here, no more nightmares
We gon’ pull together through it, we gon’ do it
Laney uncle’s crazy, ain’t he? Yeah, but he loves you girl and you better know it

We’re all we got in this world When it spins, when it swirls
When it whirls, when it twirls two little beautiful girls
Lookin’ puzzled, in a daze. I know it’s confusin’ you
Daddy’s always on the move; mama’s always on the news

I try to keep you sheltered from it, but somehow it seems
The harder that I try to do that, the more it backfires on me
All the things growing up his daddy that he had to see
Daddy don’t want you to see, but you see just as much as he did

We did not plan it to be this way, your mother and me
But things have gotten so bad between us, I don’t see us ever being together
Ever again, like we used to be when we was teenagers
But then of course everything always happens for a reason

I guess it was never meant to be
But it’s just something we have no control over, and that’s what destiny is
But no more worries, rest your head, and go to sleep
Maybe one day we’ll wake up, and this will all just be a dream

Now hush little baby, don’t you cry
Everything’s gonna be all right
Stiffen that upper lip up little lady, I told ya
Daddy’s here to hold ya through the night

I know mommy’s not here right now, and we don’t know why
We fear how we feel inside
It may seem a little crazy, pretty baby
But I promise mama’s gon’ be all right

It’s funny, I remember back one year, when daddy had no money
Mommy wrapped the Christmas presents up and stuck ’em under the tree
And said some of ’em were from me, ’cause daddy couldn’t buy ’em
I’ll never forget that Christmas; I sat up the whole night crying

’Cause daddy felt like a bum, see daddy had a job
But his job was to keep the food on the table for you and mom
And at the time, every house that we lived in either kept getting broke into and robbed or shot up on the block

And your mom was saving money for you in a jar
Tryma start a piggy bank for you so you could go to college
Almost had a thousand dollars, till someone broke in and stole it
And I know it hurt so bad, it broke your mama’s heart
And it seemed like everything was just startin’ to fall apart

Mom and dad was arguin’ a lot, so mama moved back
On the Chalmers in the flat—one bedroom apartment
And dad moved back to the other side of 8 Mile on Novara
And that’s when daddy went to California with his CD
And met Dr. Dre and flew you and mama out to see me

But daddy had to work, you and momma had to leave me
Then you started seeing daddy on the TV
And mama didn’t like it and you and Laney were to young to understand it
Papa was a Rollin’ Stone, momma developed a habit
And it all happened too fast for either one of us to grab it
I’m just sorry you were there and had to witness it first hand

’Cause all I ever wanted to do was just make you proud
Now I’m sittin’ in this empty house
Just reminiscing lookin’ at your baby pictures, it just trips me out
To see how much you both have grown, it’s almost like you’re sisters now

Wow, guess you pretty much are and, daddy’s still here
Laney I’m talkin’ to you too: Daddy’s still here
I like the sound of that, yeah; it’s got a ring to it, don’t it?
Shh, mama’s only gone for the moment

Now hush little baby, don’t you cry
Everything’s gonna be all right
Stiffen that upper lip up little lady, I told ya
Daddy’s here to hold ya through the night

I know mommy’s not here right now, and we don’t know why
We fear how we feel inside
It may seem a little crazy, pretty baby
But I promise mama’s gon’ be all right

And if you ask me, too, daddy’s gonna buy you a mockingbird
I’mma give you the world
I’mma buy a diamond ring for you, I’mma sing for you
I’ll do anything for you to see you smile

And if that mockingbird don’t sing and that ring don’t shine
I’mma break that birdie’s neck
I’d go back to the jeweler who sold it to ya
And make him eat every karat; don’t fuck with dad (haha)