by Des’ree, whose full name is Desiree Annette Weeks, a British singer and songwriter of the 1990s and early 2000s.  This song, which was cowritten with her producer Ashley Ingram, is from her second album I Ain’t Movin’, released in 1994.

Listen as your day unfolds, challenge what the future holds
Try and keep your head up to the sky
Lovers, they may cause you tears, go ahead release your fears
Stand up and be counted, don’t be ashamed to cry

You gotta be
You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day

Herald what your mother said, read the books your father read
Try to solve the puzzles in your own sweet time
Some may have more cash than you, others take a different view
My oh my, heh, hey

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day

Life asks no questions, it goes on without you
Leaving you behind if you can’t stand the pace
The world keeps on spinning, you can’t stop it, if you try to
This time it’s danger staring you in the face

Remember, listen as your day unfolds, challenge what the future holds
Try and keep your head up to the sky
Lovers, they may cause you tears, go ahead release your fears
My oh my, heh, hey, hey

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day

Got to be bold, got to be bad
Got to be wise, not ever sad
Got to be hard, not too too hard
All I know love will save the day

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together

Vocabulary:

unfolds:  happens over time
challenge:  don’t accept
release:  let go of, don’t keep
be counted:  be known for who you are
ashamed:  embarrassed
gotta:  have got to, must
bold:  brave
wiser:  smarter
tough:  unable to be hurt
cool:  unemotional, not letting things bother you
stay together:  not become crazy
herald:  repeat
puzzles:  problems, difficulties
cash:  money
goes on:  continues (idiom)
pace:  speed, quickness
spinning:  turning round and round
staring:  looking at for a long time