| Reflection Eternal - For Women |
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| Part 1 - Part 2 |
| [Talib Kweli] (+ Background Vocals) Teenage lovers sit on the stoops up in Harlem Holdin' hands under the Apollo marquis dreamin of stardom Since they was born the streets is watchin' and schemin' And now it got them generations facin' deseases That don't kill you they just got problems and complications that get you first Yo, it's getting worse, when children hide the fact that they pregnant Cuz they scared of giving birth How will I feed this baby? How will I survive, how will this baby shine? Daddy dead from crack in '85, mommy dead from AIDS in '89 At 14 the baby hit the same streets they became her master The children of the enslaved, they grow a little faster They bodies become adult While they keepin' the thoughts of a child her arrival Into womanhood was heemed up by her survival Now she 25, barely grown out her own Doin' whatever it takes strippin', workin' out on the block Up on the phone, talkin' about (my skin is tan like the front of your hand) (And my hair...) (Well my hair's alright whatever way I want to fix it, it's alright it's fine) (But my hips, these sweet hips of mine invite you daddy) (And when I fix my lips my mouth is like wine) (Take a sip don't be shy, tonight I wanna be your lady) (I ain't too good for your Mercedes, but first you got to pay me) (You better quit with all the question, sugar who's little girl am I) (Why I'm yours if you got enough money to buy) (You better stop with the compliments we running out of time,) (You wanna talk whatever we could do that it's your dime) (From Harlem's from where I came, don't worry about my name,) (Up on one-two-five they call me sweet thang) Scratches + Woman singing in the background [Talib Kweli] (+ Background Vocals) A daughter come up in Georgia, ripe and ready to plant seeds, Left the plantation when she saw a sign even thought she can't read It came from God and when life get hard she always speak to him, She'd rather kill her babies than let the master get to 'em, She on the run up north to get across that Mason-Dixon In church she learned how to be patient and keep wishin', The promise of eternal life after death for those that God bless She swears the next baby she'll have will breathe a free breath and get milk from a free breast, And love beeing alive, otherwise they'll have to give up being themselves to survive, Being maids, cleaning ladies, maybe teachers or college graduates, nurses, housewives, prostitutes, and drug addicts Some will grow to be old women, some will die before they born, They'll be mothers, and lovers who inspire and make songs, (But me, my skin is brown and my manner is tough,) (Like the love I give my babies when the rainbow's enuff,) (I'll kill the first muthafucka that mess with me, I never bluff) (I ain't got time to lie, my life has been much too rough,) (Still running with barefeet, I ain't got nothin' but my soul,) (Freedom is the ultimate goal, life and death is small on the whole, in many ways) (I'm awfully bitter these days 'cuz the only parents God gave me, they were slaves,) (And it crippled me, I got the destiny of a casualty,) (But I live through my babies and I change my reality) (Maybe one day I'll ride back to Georgia on a train,) (Folks 'round there call me Peaches, I guess that's my name.) |