What It's Like

Lyrics

We've all seen a man at the liquor store beggin' for your change  
The hair on his face is dirty, dread-locked, and full of mange  
He asks a man for what he could spare, with shame in his eyes  
"Get a job you fucking slob," is all he replies  
God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoes  
Cause then you really might know what it's like to sing the blues  
  
[Chorus]  
Then you really might know what it's like  
Then you really might know what it's like  
Then you really might know what it's like  
Then you really might know what it's like  
  
Mary got pregnant from a kid named Tom that said he was in love  
He said, "Don't worry about a thing, baby doll  
I'm the man you've been dreaming of."  
But three months later he say he won't date her or return her calls  
And she swear, "God damn, if I find that man I'm cuttin' off his balls."  
And then she heads for the clinic and  
She gets some static walking through the door  
They call her a killer, and they call her a sinner  
And they call her a whore  
God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in her shoes  
Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to choose  
  
[Chorus]  
  
I've seen a rich man beg  
I've seen a good man sin  
I've seen a tough man cry  
I've seen a loser win  
And a sad man grin  
I heard an honest man lie  
I've seen the good side of bad  
And the downside of up  
And everything between  
I licked the silver spoon  
Drank from the golden cup  
And smoked the finest green  
I stroked the fattest dimes at least a couple of times  
Before I broke their heart  
You know where it ends, yo, it usually depends on where you start  
  
I knew this kid named Max  
Who used to get fat stacks out on the corner with drugs  
He liked to hang out late  
He liked to get shit-faced and keep the pace with thugs  
Until late one night there was a big gun fight and Max lost his head  
He pulled out his chrome .45, talked some shit, and wound up dead  
Now his wife and his kids are caught in the midst of all of this pain  
You know it comes that way  
At least that's what they say when you play the game  
God forbid you ever had to wake up to hear the news  
Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to lose  
  
Then you really might know what it's like  
Then you really might know what it's like  
Then you really might know what it's like...to have to lose