Em                            C                                       
I was seven years old, when I got my first pair

I stepped outside           
                      G                                                   B       
And I was like, Momma , this air bubble right here, it's gonna make me fly 
              Em                        C
I hit that court, and when I jumped, I jumped, I swear I got so high                     
             G                                            B                                  
I touched the net, Mom I touched the net.. this is the best day of my life 
                            Em
Air Max's were next, 

That air bubble, that mesh 
        C
The box, the smell, the stuffin, the tread. 
Am
At school, I was so cool 

I knew that I couldn't crease 'em 
         G
My friends couldn't afford 'em 
         B
Four stripes on their Adidas 
                 Em
On the court I wasn't the best, but my kicks were like the pro's
   C
Yo, I stick out my tongue so everyone could see that logo 
  Am
Nike Air Flight , book bag was so dope 
                               B
And then my friend Carlos'  brother got murdered for his Fours, whoa 
   Em
See he just wanted a jump shot, but they wanted his Starter coat though 
   C
Didn't wanna get caught, from Genesee Park to Othello 
  Em
You get clowned for those Pro Wings, with the velcro 

Those were not tight 
 B
I was trying to fly without leaving the ground, 
                      Em
cuz I wanted to be like Mike, right 
                         C
Wanted to be him 
                                       G                           
I wanted to be that guy, I wanted to touch the rim
 
I wanted to be cool, and I wanted to fit in 
B
I wanted what he had, America, it begins 


[Chorus]
  Em
I want to fly 
        C            Am
Can you take me far away  

Give me a star to reach for 
G               B
Tell me what it takes 
         Em
And I'll go so high 

I'll go so high
   C 
My feet won't touch the ground 
          Am
Stitch my wings 

And pull the strings
               G
I bought these dreams 
     B        Em
That all fall down 


[Verse 2]

 Em
We want what we can't have, commodity makes us want it 
  C
So expensive, damn, I just got to flaunt it 
  G
Got to show 'em, so exclusive, this that new shoe
  B
A hundred dollars for a pair of shoes I would never hoop in 
  Em
Look at me, look at me, I'm a cool kid 
  C
I'm an individual, yea, but I'm part of a movement 
 Am
My movement told me be a consumer and I consumed it 
            G                                                  B
They told me to just do it, I listened to what that swoosh said 
  Em
Look at what that swoosh did 
                                                  C
See it consumed my thoughts 

Are you stupid, don't crease 'em, just leave 'em in that box 
  Em
Strangled by these laces, laces I can barely talk 
  B
That's my air bubble and I'm lost, if it pops 
  Em
We are what we wear, we wear what we are 
             C
But see I look inside the mirror and think Phil Nike tricked us all
  G
Will I stand for change, or stay in my box 
                 B
These Nikes help me define me, but I'm trying to take mine, off 


[Instrumental bit]

Em C G B
Em C Am G B
Em C G B
Em C Am G B


[Chorus]
  Em
I want to fly 
        C            Am
Can you take me far away  

Give me a star to reach for 
G               B
Tell me what it takes 
         Em
And I'll go so high 

I'll go so high
   C 
My feet won't touch the ground 
          Am
Stitch my wings 

And pull the strings
               G
I bought these dreams 
     B        Em
That all fall down 

[Interlude]
Em C Am G B

[Outro]
  Em
They started out, with what I wear to school 

                  C
That first day, like these are what make you cool 

                    G
And this pair, this would be my parachute

                        B
So much more than just a pair of shoes 

                                 Em
Nah, this is what I am 
What I wore, this is the source of my youth 

              C
This dream that they sold to you 

                               Am
For a hundred dollars and some change 
Consumption is in the veins 

                      G                          B
And now I see it's just another pair of shoes