They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)

Album

Mecca and the Soul Brother

Label

Elektra Records

Genre

Conscious hip hop

Media Type

45s

Duration

4:45

Composer(s)

Peter Phillips;Corey Penn

Entered Chart

Jun 27, 1992

Peak Date

Jul 25, 1992

Released

April 2, 1992

Recorded

1991

Catalog #

Elektra 64773

"They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" is a song by Pete Rock & CL Smooth, inspired by the death of their close friend Troy Dixon (better known as "Trouble" T. Roy of Heavy D & the Boyz) in 1990. The song was the lead single off their debut album, Mecca and the Soul Brother, released in 1992, and later became a staple of early 1990s hip hop. The song peaked at #58 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart. The song contains a sample from "Today" from the album The Honeysuckle Breeze (1967) by Tom Scott and the California Dreamers, originally performed by Jefferson Airplane. They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.) is frequently ranked among the greatest hip-hop songs of all time and a classic of Hip Hop's golden era

(I reminisce, I reminisce)
(I reminisce, I reminisce)
(I reminisce, I reminisce)
I reminisce, I reminisce
Uh! (I reminisce, I reminisce)
Yeah (I reminisce, I reminisce)
(I reminisce, I reminisce)
(I reminisce, I reminisce)

I reminisce for a spell, or shall I say think back? (Yeah)
22 years ago to keep it on track (uh-huh)
The birth of a child on the eighth of October (it's like that)
A toast, but my granddaddy came sober (crazy facts)
Countin' all the fingers and the toes
Now I suppose you hope the little black boy grows (yeah)
Huh, 18 years younger than my mama (mama)
But I rarely got beatings 'cause the girl loved drama (yeah)

In single parenthood, there I stood
By the time she was 21, had another one (yeah)
This one's a girl, let's name her Pam
Same father as the first, but you don't give a damn (alright)
Irresponsible, plain not-thinking (yeah)
Papa said chill, but the brother keep winking (uh-huh)
Still he won't down you or tear out your hide (right)
On your side while the baby maker slide

But mama got wise to the game (uh)
The youngest of five kids, hon here it is (yeah)
After ten years without no spouse (yeah)
Momma's gettin' married and a house (word?)
Listen, positive over negative for the woman and master (uh-huh)
Mother Queen's rising a chapter (yeah)
Déjà vu, tell you what I'm gonna do (do it)
When they reminisce over you, my God

My God
It's so
Yeah, so lovely
That's how we like to do it in the '90s
Pete Rock & CL Smooth comin' at ya

When I date back I recall a man off the family tree
My right hand Poppa Doc I see
Took me from a boy to a man, so I always had a father
When my biological didn't bother (yeah)
Taking care of this, so who am I to bicker?
Not a bad ticker, but I'm clocking pop's liver (yeah)
But you can never say that his life is through (uh-huh)
Five kids at 21 believe he got a right too (that's right)

Here we go while I check the scene
With the Portuguese Lover at the age of 14 (tell 'em)
The same age, front page, no fuss
But I bet you all your dough they live longer than us (that's right)
Never been senile, that's where you're wrong (uh-huh)
But give the man a taste and he's gone
Noddin' off, sleep to a jazz tune
I can hear his head banging on the wall in the next room

I get the pillow and hope I don't wake him (yeah)
For this man do cuss, hear it all in verbatim (uh-huh)
Telling me how to raise my boy unless he's taking over
I said pop maybe when you're older (older)
We laughed all night about the hookers at the party
My old man standing, yelling, "Good God Almighty" (uh-huh)
Use your condom, take sips of the brew (that's right)
When they reminisce over you, for real

For real, baby
Like that
We for real
Comin' atcha
In '92
Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Yeah, c'mon, hit me!

I reminisce, so you never forget this
The days of way-back, so many bear witness the fitness (yeah)
Take the first letter out of each word in this joint
Listen close as I prove my point
T to the R the O-Y, how did you and I meet?
In front of Big Lou's, fighting in the street
But only you saw what took many time to see (uh-huh)
I dedicate this to you for believing in me

Rain or shine, yes, in any weather (yeah)
My Grandmom Pam holds the family together
My Uncle Doc's the greatest, better yet the latest
If we're talking about a car, Uncle Sterling got the latest (yeah)
I strive to be live 'cause I got no choice
And run my own business like my Aunt Joyce
So Pete Rock hit me, 'nough respect due (uh-huh)
When they reminisce over you, listen

Listen, just listen
To the funky song as I rock on
And that's word is bond
I'm not playin'
Everybody, just coolin'
This song we dedicate
To the one and only
Never be another
He was my brother

Trouble T-Roy
It's like that y'all
And it don't stop
Pete Rock & CL Smooth from '92
And we out
Later