Lyrics: R. Kelly. The R. In R&B Collection, Vol. 1. I Wish.

I wish, I wish, I wish
To every city
I wish, I wish, I wish
Every hood
I wish, I wish, I wish
And every block
I wish, I wish, I wish
Ghetto America

Rollin' through the hood, just stopped by to say, what's up?
And let you know your baby boy ain't doin' so tough
Even though you passed, goin' on four long years
Still wakin' up late at night cryin' tears

Just thinkin' about those days you used to talk to me
Smilin' while I'm sippin' on this Hennessey
And remember, we'd brag on how rich we would be
To get out this hood was like a fantasy

And now you hear my songs the radio is playin'
Oh, I can't believe my ears
And what everybody is sayin'
Boy, I tell you folks don't know the half

I would give it all up just to take one ride
With you
How I used to kick it on the front porch
With you
And how I used to lay back and smoke weed
With you
And all the little basement party joints we'd do
Now, I'm just missing you

How I wish, I wish that I could hold you now
I wish that I could touch you now
I wish that I could talk to you
Be with you somehow

I know, I know you're in a better place
Even though I can't see your face
I know you're smilin' down on me
Sayin' everything's okay

And if I make it out, this thug life
See you again someday
I wish, I wish, I wish
I wish, I wish, I wish

Ever since this money come, it's been nothing but stress
Sometimes I wish that I could just trade in my success
Y'all look at me and say, boy, you've been blessed
But y'all don't see the inside of my unhappiness

Man, I swear this shit gets heavy like a ton
That's why you hear me shootin' this real shit off like a gun
I wonder how my friends would treat me now
If I was iced up with a Bentley and a house

That's why fake-ass niggas get fake-ass digits
And fake-ass players get a real player hatin 'em
'Honey Love' goes platinum and y'all ass come round
But y'all don't wanna raise the roof until my shit is goin' down

And now you hear my songs the radio is playin'
Oh, I can't believe my ears
And what everybody is sayin'
Boy, I tell you folks don't know the half

I would give it all up just to take one ride
With you
And how I used to hoop off in them to tournaments
With you
And how I used to club hop on weekends
With you
Your family called the morning of the tragic end
Damn, my condolences

I wish that I could hold you now
I wish that I could touch you now
I wish that I could talk to you
Be with you somehow

I know you're in a better place
Even though I can't see your face
I know you're smilin' down on me
Sayin' everything's okay

And if I make it out this thug life
See you again someday
I wish, I wish, I wish
I wish, I wish, I wish

Voices in my head been tellin' me to come to church
Say, the Lord is the only way for you to stop the hurt
Dreamin' of windows, black-tinted like a hearse
But wakin' up to life sometimes seems worse

And all I ever wanted is to be a better man
And I try to keep it real with my homies, man
Want me to save the world, I don't understand
How did I become the leader of a billion fans

And now you hear my songs the radio is playin'
Oh, I can't believe my ears
And what everybody's sayin'
Boy, I tell you folks don't know the half

I would give it all up just to take one ride
With you
How I used to street perform on Friday
With you
And how I'd go to church on Easter Sunday
With you
Instead of y'all throwin' them stones at me
Somebody pray for me

Oh, I wish that I could hold you now
I wish that I could touch you now
I wish that I could talk to you
Be with you somehow

I know you're in a better place
Even though I can't see your face
I know you're smilin' down on me
Sayin' everything's okay

Oh, I wish that I could hold you now
I wish that I could touch you now
I wish that I could talk to you
Be with you somehow

I know you're in a better place
Even though I can't see your face
I know you're smilin' down on me
Sayin' everything's okay

Oh, I wish that I could hold you now
I wish that I could touch you now
I wish that I could talk to you
Be with you somehow

I know you're in a better place
Even though I can't see your face
I know you're smilin' down on me
Sayin' everything's okay

Oh, I wish that I could hold you now
I wish that I could touch you now
I wish that I could talk to you
Be with you somehow