CYCLE OF LIFE

all along we singin' the same song
we knew that it was wrong
still we passin' them traits on

[do as I say, not as I do]
[how 'bout "do as I do"?]

all along we singin' the same song
we knew that it was wrong
still we passin' them traits on

well he was born prematurely
by a month and in one week
his body shook 'cuz he needed
crack in his blood stream

and some seemed to think
that it was only a phase
but most figured it would
take him straight to the grave

and so they ho'd him to the system
and told him he was a victim
and sold him on how they fixin'
'bout puttin' him on prescriptions

and lo-and-behold
the plot thickens
'cuz all that they could give him
was another addiction

and I don't have the words to express
the hurt that burned in his chest
the terms pressed to his pursed lips
were worthless

from birth
he flirted with a certain duress
depression clung to him
tighter than a shirt when it's wet

and now he's just another gritty kiddy
livin' obsessed
with drugs, alcohol, firearms,
women and sex

and some would suggest
life's only a test
but he was so convinced that this
was just as good as it gets

all along we singin' the same song
we knew that it was wrong
still we passin' them traits on

all along we singin' the same song
we knew that it was wrong
still we passin' them traits [word]

young girl
dreamin' of bein' set free
mom was alcoholic
and her dad was a deadbeat

and step-daddy's grabby hands
were lookin' for fresh meat
but a ten-year-old girl's body
oughta be left be

she ran away, hopin' she could
find some solution
but wound up workin'
a line of prostitution

the money that she made
was the money that paid
for drugs to bury all the memories
she couldn't escape

she spiraled down into
the cycle of self-loathing
and even though she wanted
to die it kept goin'

her belly started growin'
got clean for a while
she was determined she could
make a better life for her child

now she's just a mother
tryin' to keep her child in her sight
to him she's just a mother worried
tryin' to stiffle his rights

and he is just another
warrior disciple tonight
and this is just another story
in the cycle of life

all along we singin' the same song
we knew that it was wrong
still we passin' them traits on