I was 14 and losing ground
In a black top of a town
Where no one wins and no one's leaving
My dad said, "Son, you finish school
Because this world can be so cruel"
I said, "You too" and kept on dreaming
I'm nothing like you, nothing like you
Why don't you know anything about me?
I swear somehow, I'll make you proud
But why you wanna always go and doubt me?
Story of my life in 1995
A hero in Chicago, a legend in my mind
A million lonely nights
A million times I tried
To jump like Michael Jordan
But never quite as high, high, high
When I was 19, I ran so far
They couldn't catch me on the yard
I traveled unfamiliar places
My dad said, "Son, just come back home
You won't survive out on your own
You're on a fast break running aimless"
But I'm nothing like you, nothing like you
Why don't you believe I have the answers?
I swear somehow, I'll make you proud
But why can't you just let me take my chances now?
Story of my life in 1995
A hero in Chicago, a legend in my mind
A million lonely nights
A million times I tried
To jump like Michael Jordan
But never quite as high
I'm 49, the game is mine
And every night is overtime
I beat the odds and I'm still playing
My dad has passed, he's been long gone
I wish he'd met my teenage son
It's been harder than I thought to raise him
I'm just like you, so much like you
Silent as he's jumping for a layup
But I'm so proud of him, so proud
But just like you, I'm still too scared to say it
So I'll say it now
Story of my life in 1995
A hero in Chicago, a legend in my mind
A million lonely nights
A million times I tried
To jump like Michael Jordan
Story of my life in 1995
A hero in Chicago, a legend in our minds
A million lonely nights
A million times we tried
To jump like Michael Jordan
But never quite as high, high
Jump like Michael Jordan
I hope you'll reach the sky
I hope you'll reach the sky
I hope you'll reach the sky
I, I, I