De La Soul Lyrics

Album: 3 Feet High And Rising

The Magic Number Lyrics

(Got to have soul!) 

POS: 

3 

That's the Magic Number 

Yes it is 

It's the magic number 

Somewhere in this hip-hop soul community 

Was born 3 Mase, Dove and me 

And that's the magic number 

(What does it all mean?) 

Difficult preaching is Posdnuos' pleasure 

Pleasure and preaching starts in the heart 

Something that stimulates the music in my measure 

Measure in my music, raised in three parts 

Casually see but don't do like the Soul 

'Cause seein' and doin' are actions for monkeys 

Doin' hip hop hustle, no rock and roll 

Unless your name's Brewster, 'cause Brewster's a Punky 

Parents let go 'cause there's magic in the air 

Criticising rap shows you're out of order 

Stop look and listen to the phrasin' Fred Astaires 

And don't get offended while Mase do-se-do's your daughter 

A tri-camera rolls since our music's now set 

Fly rhymes are stored on a D.A.I.S.Y. production 

It stands for "Da Inner Sound Y'all" and y'all can bet 

That the action's not a trick, but showing the function 

Everybody wants to be a deejay 

Everybody wants to be an emcee 

But being speakers are the best 

And you don't have to guess 

De La Soul posse consists of three 

And that's the magic number 

DOVE: 

This here piece of the pie 

Is not dessert but the course that we dine 

And three out of every darn time 

The effect is "Mmmm" when a daisy grows in your mind 

Showing true position, this here piece is 

Kissin' the part of the pie that's missin' 

When that negative number fills up the casualty 

Maybe you can subtract it 

You can call it your lucky partner 

Maybe you can call it your adjective 

But odd as it may be 

Without my 1 and 2 where would there be 

My 3 

Mase Pos and Me 

And that's the Magic Number 

Focus is formed by flaunts to the soul 

Souls who flaunt styles gain praises by pounds 

Common are speakers who are never scrolls 

Scrolls written daily creates a new sound 

Listeners listen 'cause this here is wisdom 

Wisdom of a Speaker, a Dove and a Plug 

Set aside a legal substance to feed 'em 

For now get 'em high off this dialect drug 

Time is a factor so it's time to count 

Count not the negative actions of one 

Speakers of soul say it's time to shout 

Three forms the soul to a positive sum 

Dance to this fix and flex every muscle 

Space can be filled if you rise like my lumber 

Advance to the tune but don't do the hustle 

Shake, rattle, roll to my Magic Number 

Now you may try to subtract it 

But it just won't go away 

Three times one? 

(What is it?) 

(One, two, three!) 

And that's the Magic Number 

(Yo, what's up?) 

(1, 2, 3) 

(I say, children, what does it all mean?) 

(Woah-woah-wo, 1, 2, 3) 

(I wouldn't lie to you) 

(No more no less, that's the magic number) 

(No more no less) 

(What it is?) 

(No more no less) 

(Is this the future?) 

(No more no less) 

(Do the shang-a-lang) 

(No more no less) 

(No one on the subway ever chats to me) 

(No more no less) 

(Anybody in the audience ever get hit by a car?) 

(No more no less) 

(How high's the water, mama?) 

(No more no less) 

(How high's the water, mama?) 

(No more no less) 

(Three feet high and rising) 

(No more no less) 

(Three) 

(That's the magic number)