Don't ask me why I'm crying
I'm not going to tell you what's wrong
I'm just gonna sit on your lap
For five dollars a song
I want you to pay me for my beauty
I think it's only right
'cause I have been paying for it
All of my life

I'm gonna take the money I make
I'm gonna take the money I make
I'm gonna take the money I make
And I'm gonna go away

We barely have time to react in this world
Let alone rehearse
And I don't think I'm better than you
But I don't think that I'm worse
Women learn to be women
And men learn to be men
And I don't blame it all on you
But I don't want to be your friend

I'm gonna take the money I make
I'm gonna take the money I make
I'm gonna take the money I make
And I'm gonna go away

I was eleven years old
He was as old as my dad
And he took something from me
I didn't even know that I had
So don't tell me about decency
Don't tell me about pride
Just give me something for my trouble
'cause this time, it's not a free ride

I'm gonna take the money I make
I'm gonna take the money I make
I'm gonna take the money I make
And I'm gonna go away

Don't ask me why I'm crying
I'm not going to tell you what's wrong
I'm just gonna sit on your lap
For five dollars a songs
I want you to pay me for my beauty
I think it's only right
'cause I have been paying for it
All of my life

Now I just want to take
And I'm just gonna take
I'm gonna take
And I'm gonna go away


Lyrics submitted by aur0ra

Letter to a John Lyrics as written by Ani Difranco

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC

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Letter to a John song meanings
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    General Comment

    "I want you to pay me for my beauty I think it's only right 'cause I have been paying for it all of my life"

    These lines. It's like the narrator of the song is saying to give her something for her looks because she's been being abused because of them for "all of (her) life". It's almost like a bit of a reference to all the things women have to deal with (rape, abuse, etc). I've heard this song since I was ten years old and I never understood it then, someone read it to me during some really tough times during high school and I didn't think much of it, and I just listened to the song again now, and the song really hit me. Quite a powerful song.

    shmunkon July 25, 2010   Link

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