The Dream

There are many professional ball players working in the NBA
Some who make more money in one game than we make in a year
And one by-product of this industry is something called a «sneaker deal»
All you have to do is have a promising career
Then the companies come courting, they see $$ signs in every pair
Of inexpensive highly marked up shoes that they’ll be hawking
Then they slap a famous name on footwear cheaply made in China
And they charge a hundred bucks a pair — the athletes do the talking
Unfortunately the targets of these ad campaigns are not
The rich and wealthy well-to-do's with lots of cash and extra savings
They’re the kids of working folks or single parents, some on welfare
Who now have the added pressure of these shoes their kids are craving
Here comes Hakeem Olajuwon, the wondrous Houston center
Who’s done everything a player could hope to do in his profession
Except 'have a shoe', he’s never 'had a shoe', can you believe it?
'Til the Rockets took the title home two seasons in succession
Whereupon a company picked up the ball and dropped a dime and rang him up
They said «We wanna put your nickname on our sneaker line, Hakeem
We’re proud that you’re a winner, we can both make lots of money
Every kid’ll wanna have 'em, and we’ll call your shoe «the Dream»
«You want to use my name for what?»
Was all Hakeem purported
«A shoe"they said. «A what?""A shoe.»
«God Bless You"he retorted
But Hakeem, a most religious man, reflected on their offer
And responded with a most resounding «Yes, on one condition
That these 'dreams' you wish to sell you price at less than thirty-five dollars
If you stick to that you have my permission.»
«But who would wear such cheap shoes?"they reacted in a panic
Knowing full well that the going rate was that and more times three
«I will,"said Hakeem to them and that’s just what he did
That whole next season in the NBA, for all the world to see
That’s right, he wore those low-cost brogans right there on his size sixteens
And on each box is printed «Make commitments, dare to dream»
Oh, by the way, they sold 1.8 million pairs it seems
Well, 1.8 million and one 'cause now I wear the Dreams