What It's Like
We've all seen a man at the liquor store beggin' for your changeÂÂÂ
The hair on his face is dirty, dread-locked, and full of mangeÂÂÂ
He asks a man for what he could spare, with shame in his eyesÂÂÂ
"Get a job you ****ing slob," is all he repliesÂÂÂ
God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoesÂÂÂ
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to sing the bluesÂÂÂ
Then you really might know what it's like...ÂÂÂ
Then you really might know what it's like...ÂÂÂ
Then you really might know what it's like...ÂÂÂ
Then you really might know what it's like...ÂÂÂ
Mary got pregnant from a kid named Tom that said he was in loveÂÂÂ
He said, "Don't worry about a thing, baby dollÂÂÂ
I'm the man you've been dreaming of."ÂÂÂ
But 3 months later he say he won't date her or return her callsÂÂÂ
And she swear, "God damn, if I find that man I'm cuttin' off his balls."ÂÂÂ
And then she heads for the clinic andÂÂÂ
she gets some static walking through the doorÂÂÂ
They call her a killer, and they call her a sinnerÂÂÂ
and they call her a whoreÂÂÂ
God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in her shoesÂÂÂ
'cause then you really might know what it's like to have to chooseÂÂÂ
ChorusÂÂÂ
I've seen a rich man begÂÂÂ
I've seen a good man sinÂÂÂ
I've seen a tough man cryÂÂÂ
I've seen a loser winÂÂÂ
And a sad man grinÂÂÂ
I heard an honest man lieÂÂÂ
I've seen the good side of badÂÂÂ
And the downside of upÂÂÂ
And everything betweenÂÂÂ
I licked the silver spoonÂÂÂ
Drank from the golden cupÂÂÂ
And smoked the finest greenÂÂÂ
I stroked the fattest dimes at least a couple of timesÂÂÂ
before I broke their heartÂÂÂ
You know where it ends, yo, it usually depends on where you startÂÂÂ
I knew this kid named MaxÂÂÂ
He used to get fat stacks out on the corner with drugsÂÂÂ
He liked to hang out lateÂÂÂ
he liked to get shit-faced and keep the pace with thugsÂÂÂ
Until late one night there was a big gun fight and Max lost his headÂÂÂ
He pulled out his chrome .45, talked some shit, and wound up deadÂÂÂ
Now his wife and his kids are caught in the midst of all of this painÂÂÂ
You know it crumbles that wayÂÂÂ
at least that's what they say when you play the gameÂÂÂ
God forbid you ever had to wake up to hear the newsÂÂÂ
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to loseÂÂÂ
Then you really might know what it's like...ÂÂÂ
Then you really might know what it's like...ÂÂÂ
Then you really might know what it's like...to have to lose
The hair on his face is dirty, dread-locked, and full of mangeÂÂÂ
He asks a man for what he could spare, with shame in his eyesÂÂÂ
"Get a job you ****ing slob," is all he repliesÂÂÂ
God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoesÂÂÂ
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to sing the bluesÂÂÂ
Then you really might know what it's like...ÂÂÂ
Then you really might know what it's like...ÂÂÂ
Then you really might know what it's like...ÂÂÂ
Then you really might know what it's like...ÂÂÂ
Mary got pregnant from a kid named Tom that said he was in loveÂÂÂ
He said, "Don't worry about a thing, baby dollÂÂÂ
I'm the man you've been dreaming of."ÂÂÂ
But 3 months later he say he won't date her or return her callsÂÂÂ
And she swear, "God damn, if I find that man I'm cuttin' off his balls."ÂÂÂ
And then she heads for the clinic andÂÂÂ
she gets some static walking through the doorÂÂÂ
They call her a killer, and they call her a sinnerÂÂÂ
and they call her a whoreÂÂÂ
God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in her shoesÂÂÂ
'cause then you really might know what it's like to have to chooseÂÂÂ
ChorusÂÂÂ
I've seen a rich man begÂÂÂ
I've seen a good man sinÂÂÂ
I've seen a tough man cryÂÂÂ
I've seen a loser winÂÂÂ
And a sad man grinÂÂÂ
I heard an honest man lieÂÂÂ
I've seen the good side of badÂÂÂ
And the downside of upÂÂÂ
And everything betweenÂÂÂ
I licked the silver spoonÂÂÂ
Drank from the golden cupÂÂÂ
And smoked the finest greenÂÂÂ
I stroked the fattest dimes at least a couple of timesÂÂÂ
before I broke their heartÂÂÂ
You know where it ends, yo, it usually depends on where you startÂÂÂ
I knew this kid named MaxÂÂÂ
He used to get fat stacks out on the corner with drugsÂÂÂ
He liked to hang out lateÂÂÂ
he liked to get shit-faced and keep the pace with thugsÂÂÂ
Until late one night there was a big gun fight and Max lost his headÂÂÂ
He pulled out his chrome .45, talked some shit, and wound up deadÂÂÂ
Now his wife and his kids are caught in the midst of all of this painÂÂÂ
You know it crumbles that wayÂÂÂ
at least that's what they say when you play the gameÂÂÂ
God forbid you ever had to wake up to hear the newsÂÂÂ
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to loseÂÂÂ
Then you really might know what it's like...ÂÂÂ
Then you really might know what it's like...ÂÂÂ
Then you really might know what it's like...to have to lose