This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
You're trying to remember why you cut all your hair
Were you trying to be someone you weren't?
You don't hang around the old haunts anymore
No, all the of those bridges are burned
He doesn't like to share you
He likes your hair short
You're not you, you're not you anymore
So take off that necklace he stole from his mother
It doesn't mean what it meant before
Pack up your pictures and gather all your clothes
But leave that lingerie that he bought you on the floor
It made you so awkward, you felt like a whore
You're not you, you're not you anymore
Girl, you need to be patient, the day's going to come
You'll leave your old baggage behind
No more excuses, no more denials
You're tired and you're drawing the line
You're nobody's lapdog, you're closing that door
You're not you, you're not you anymore
Were you trying to be someone you weren't?
You don't hang around the old haunts anymore
No, all the of those bridges are burned
He doesn't like to share you
He likes your hair short
You're not you, you're not you anymore
So take off that necklace he stole from his mother
It doesn't mean what it meant before
Pack up your pictures and gather all your clothes
But leave that lingerie that he bought you on the floor
It made you so awkward, you felt like a whore
You're not you, you're not you anymore
Girl, you need to be patient, the day's going to come
You'll leave your old baggage behind
No more excuses, no more denials
You're tired and you're drawing the line
You're nobody's lapdog, you're closing that door
You're not you, you're not you anymore
Lyrics submitted by rengalous
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this is a great song with excellent lyrics. it's a shame that it sounds so much like "tuesday's gone"
this song is great,the melody is very sad and matches the lyrics really well.
This song is awesome. If you have the CD album of the year, when you put it in your computer, a thing comes up and there's concert footage. There's a pretty kick ass performance of this song.
I love the line: "But leave that lingerie that he bought you on the floor. It made you so awkward, you felt like a whore…"
According to an interview, this is Tim's favorite song that he's ever written.
I love this song so much! It is easily my favorite off this album. It has so much depth. My friend sang me the line, "you're trying to remember why you cut all your hair off" for like a month after I cut a foot of my hair off for locks of love, so basically this is what this song reminds me of now.
this is such an amazing song. i can't believe more people havent commented on it.
My favorite The Good Life song ever.
To me it's about a girl who has changed so much to be with the one she loves, thinking she will get love in return. But not realizing that he doesn't love her for her, he just loves what she's become, and that isn't her true self. And she's realizing that she isn't herself by the end of the song, and it's a reassurement that things will change and there will be better days.
Thats my take on it.
In the demo version of this song, Tim had an alternate version of the third verse, one which I prefer to the album version. It went:
Girl, you need a vacation Head down to the station Jump on the first train that you see You've always loved Chicago Or maybe San Francisco But baby, it's time to leave You're nobody's lapdog You're closing that door You're not you, you're not you anymore
Oh, fuck.