You gotta keep 'em separated

Like the latest fashion
Like a spreading disease
The kids are strappin' on their way to the classroom
Getting weapons with the greatest of ease
The gangs stake out their own campus locale
And if they catch you slippin' then it's all over pal
If one guys colors and the others don't mix
They're gonna bash it up
Bash it up, bash it up, bash it up

Hey, man you talkin' back to me?
Take him out
You gotta keep 'em separated
Hey, man you disrespecting me?
Take him out
You gotta keep 'em separated
Hey, don't pay no mind
If you're under eighteen you won't be doing any time
Hey, come out and play

By the time you hear the siren
It's already too late
One goes to the morgue and the other to jail
One guy's wasted and the other's a waste

It goes down the same as the thousand before
No one's getting smarter
No one's learning the score
Your never ending spree of death and violence and hate
Is gonna tie your own rope
Tie your own rope
Tie your own

Hey, man you disrespecting to me?
Take him out
You gotta keep 'em separated
Hey, man you talking back to me?
Take him out
You gotta keep 'em separated
Hey, don't pay no mind
If you're under eighteen you won't be doing any time
Hey, come out and play

It goes down the same as the thousand before
No one's getting smarter
No one's learning the score
Your never ending spree of death and violence and hate
Is gonna tie your own rope
Tie your own rope
Tie your own

Hey, man you talkin' back to me?
Take him out
You gotta keep 'em separated
Hey, man you disrespecting me?
Take him out
You gotta keep 'em separated
Hey, don't pay no mind
If you're under eighteen you won't be doing any time
Hey, come out and play


Lyrics submitted by sawg

Come Out And Play (Keep 'Em Seperated) Lyrics as written by Bryan Holland

Lyrics © ROUND HILL CARLIN, LLC

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Come Out And Play song meanings
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    General Comment

    "By the time you hear the siren It's already too late One goes to the morgue and the other to jail One guy's wasted and the other's a waste"

    So true...killer song

    Gentle_Demon17on August 11, 2002   Link

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