For women

For women Lyrics

[Talib Kweli] (Spoken) 
Yea, so we got this tune called "For Women" right 
Originally, it was by Nina Simone 
She said it was inspired by, you know 
Down south. In the south, they used to call her Mother Antie 
She said No Mrs. 
Just Antie 
She said if anybody ever called her Antie 
she'd burn the whole goddamn place down 
I'm over past that 
Coming into the new millenium, we can't forget our elders 

[Talib Kweli] 
I got off the 2 train in Brooklyn on my way to a session 
Said let me help this woman up the stairs before I get to steppin' 
We got in a conversation she said she a 107 
Just her presence was a blessing and her essence was a lesson 
She had her head wrapped 
And long dreads that peeked out the back 
Like antenna to help her get a sense of where she was at, imagine that 
Livin' a century, the strenght of her memories 
Felt like an angel had been sent to me 
She lived from nigger to colored to negro to black 
To afro then african-american and right back to nigger 
You figure she'd be bitter in the twilight 
But she alright, cuz she done sseen the circle of life yo 
Her skin was black like it was packed with melanin 
Back in the days of slaves she packin' like Harriet Tubman 
Her arms are long and she moves like song 
Feet with corns, hand with callouses 
But her heart is warm and her hair is wooly 
And it attract a lot of energy even negative 
She gotta dead that the head wrap is her remedy 
Her back is strong and she far from a vagabond 
This is the back of the masters' whip used to crack upon 
Strong enough to take all the pain, that's been 
Inflicted again and again and again and again and flipped 
It to the love for her children nothing else matters 
What do they call her? They call her aunt Sara. 

Woman singing in the background 

[Talib Kweli] (+ Background Vocals) 
I know a girl with a name as beautiful as the rain 
Her face is the same but she suffers an unusual pain 
Seems she only deals with losers who be usin' them games 
Chasin' the real brothers away like she confused in the brain 
She tried to get it where she fit in 
on that American Dream mission paid tuition 
For the receipt to find out her history was missing and started flippin 
Seeing the world through very different eyes 
People askin' her what she'll do when it comes time to chose sides 
Yo, her skin is yellow, it's like her face is blond word is bond 
And her hair is long and straight just like sleeping beauty 
See, she truly feels like she belong in 2 worlds 
And that she can't relate to other girls 
Her father was rich and white still livin' with his wife 
But he forced himself on her mother late one night 
They call it rape that's right and now she take flight 
Through life with hate and spite inside her mind 
That keep her up to the break of light a lot of times 
(I gotta find myself) (3X) 
She had to remind herself 
They called her Safronia the unwanted seed 
Blood still blue in her vein and still red when she bleeds 
(Don't, don't, don't hurt me again) (8X) 

[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 muthaf**ka 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.)