What It's Like

We've all seen the man at the liquor store beggin' for your change

The hair on his face is dirty, dreadlocked and full of mange

He ask the man for what he could spare with shame in his eyes

"Get a job, you **** 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

Then you really might know what it's like (What it's like)

Then you really might know what it's like (What it's like)

Then you really might know what it's like (What it's like)

Then you really might know what it's like

Mary got pregnant from a kid named Tom who said he was in love

He said, "Don't worry about a thing, baby doll, I'm the man you've been dreamin' of"

But three months later he said he won't date her or return her calls

And she sweared, "****, if I find that man, I'm cuttin' off his ****!"

And she heads for the clinic and she gets some static walkin' through the door

They call her a killer, and they call her a sinner, and they call her a ****

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

Then you really might know what it's like (What it's like)

Then you really might know what it's like (What it's like)

Then you really might know what it's like (What it's like)

Then you really might know what it's like

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 down side of up, and everything between

I licked the silver spoon, drank from the golden cup, smoked the finest ****

I stroked the baddest 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, he used to get fat stacks out on the corner with ****

He liked to hang out late, he liked to get **** faced to keep pace with thugs

Until late one night there was a big gunfight and Max lost his head

He pulled out his chrome .45, talked some **** and wound up dead

Now his wife and his kids are caught in the midst of all his pain

You know it crumbles 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 (What it's like)

Then you really might know what it's like (What it's like)

Then you really might know what it's like (What it's like)

To have to lose