Lyrics of 'Be For Real' by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes

Hey, lady, can I say something to you for a minute?
Please? No. Now before you take your coat off. That's it.
I got something to tell you.
See, what I have to say is so very important to our relationship.
Why is it that every time we go out on the town, we get around our friends?
Man, you're always talking about what you got, huh,
Went out and bought for you,
How much money I make,
And what school our children go to,
And all the fancy clothes and big pretty cars,
The big diamond rings, and them fantastic mink coats.
Is you for real? No, I don't think you are.
Sit down. No, no, sit down.
Now don't say nothing. You see...
Wait a minute, wait a minute, that is your problem.
That is your problem. You're always saying the wrong tthing at the right time.
You see...I don't--I don't know how to explain this to you.
The best I can tell you is what my mother told me as I was coming up.
She used to say, "Son, chances go 'round."
She said, "The same people that you meet going up,
they make the same old faces coming down."
Heh, tell the truth.
You see, people today, they come out there to party.
They come out to party, man.
They didn't come out to hear all that jive mess you talking about.
You standing up in the corner with a bottle of champagne taking about Harry, Joe, and Dick and Bobby and what they ain't got,
And they live down in the lower development homes, and you won't
even help.
You won't even buy 'em a drink.
Is that any way to meet them?
If you're gonna boast, boast around somebody that has what you have.
Don't make your own brothers and sisters feel bad.
You see...Listen.
I know you know what I'm talking about, because from time to time, I can remember you coming to me putting your head on my shoulder and crying, "Oh, papa, why? Why? Why don't nobody wanna be my friend?"
You told me a long time ago. You said, "Papa, what am I doing?"
I didn't wanna tell you that.
I thought you had sense enough to realize what you're doing, but I see you don't.
Sit down and listen to me. No, sit down!
You see, people are too sensitive today.
They don't wanna hear all that jive you talking back.
You see, they don't wanna hear about what you got, 'cause they're trying to get it, too.
Heh, tell the truth.
I can't very much blame her.
As much as it hurts me, it hurts to see people going around behind our backs saying that "this woman this, this woman that," or "she ain't this" or "she ain't that."
I wanna be proud of you, mama.
I wanna be proud of you.
Listen, as long as you live.
As long as you live whether you're with me or not,

Be for real, girl.
Just be for real, yeah. (Be for real.)
Be for real, girl.
Be, be, be for real, yeah. (Be for re-e-e-eal.)
Be for real.

You shouldn't have to worry about how you've been living good,
No, if you're smartly dressed. Hey, baby. Hey, baby.
What you should be doing is getting down on your knees every night,
And thanking the man above for being blessed right now.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
If you want your friends to think you're starting with a smile,
Be for real, girl.
Just be, be for real. (Be for real.)
Be, be for real.

I can't let you go on chasing my friends away,
Because of the silly and stupid things you say.
Yeah, baby. Yeah, baby. Hey, baby.
You better dig yourself there, woman.
Putting people down is less best to you.
It just don't pay. Hey, yeah.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
I want people today by starting with a smile,
Be for real, girl.
I know, I know I want you to do is just be for real.
(Be for real.) Hey, lady. Yeah, baby. Yeah, baby.
(Be for real, girl.) Be for real, honey.
Just be, be for real. (Be for real.)
I don't want your money. I don't need your money.
(Be for real, girl.) Just be for real. Just be for real, mama.
Don't do it for me, do it for yourself.
(Be for real.) Be for real, honey.
Yeah, yeah. Tell 'em ' bout it, honey.
(Be for real, girl.) Be for real, mama. Hey, yeah.
Just be, be, be for real. (Be for real.)