They were doomed from the very beginning
She was a queen, he treated her like less than a penny
Even that head couldn’t save her, but that’s for later
Always assumed he was greater, but that’s the fate of
This couple that was bound together
Well she was bound to him since he had found free labor
He convinced her she that had found forever
And would have lasting treasure once her soul was severed
From her body which he loved but was jealous of
She got the whip never hugs
The slightest disobedience he’d beat her with
White fists gave her blackeyes to match her skin
Cause that was her sin
Huh? You be the judge

Here we go again
Why do I pretend
This cycle never ends
He’s bad for us
Here we go again
His pride I will defend
This time will be different
He’ll change for us

He thought of her as 2/5ths human less than he was
And 2/5ths human less than she was
He was warring within himself, he needed help
And she was there for him, she really cared for him
And because of this he realized that he was remiss
And she was his bliss
He knew the love was true
And so he set her free finally but felt no penny was due
Now what was she to do, finally free from her chains
Free from her pain and free from his claim
She thought, “All I know is you
So if I remain I’m praying you change”
But it was just more of the same

Here we go again
Why do I pretend
This cycle never ends
He’s bad for us
Here we go again
His pride I will defend
This time will be different
He’ll change for us
Here we go again
His name’s American
She’s hyphed African
So neither one

Now she was free technically
But it was something like an uncaged bird with clipped wings
There were rooms in her own home she couldn’t enter
She was on the periphery, never the center
No colored allowed on the upper floors
Her life was full of ceilings of glass and closed doors
And any time she fought back he’d beat her black and blue
She was just asking to receive compassion too
And the cops wouldn’t help her either
They loved to sic dogs and spray shots every time they see her
Sometimes she couldn’t breathe
She knew she couldn’t leave
But how did she know though?
But where would she go though?

Here we go again
Why do I pretend
This cycle never ends
He’s bad for us
Here we go again
His pride I will defend
This time will be different
He’ll change for us
Here we go again
His name’s American
She’s hyphed African
So neither one
Here we go again
This country that I’m in
They claim my skin’s a sin
It’s bad for us
Here we go again
This country that we’re in
Oh how can we contend
It’s time we run
This time we’ll run
Our time will come

Our time will come