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 f___ing slob”
Is all he replied.
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 (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 3 months later he say
He won’t date her or return her calls
And she swears “God d___ if I find that man
I’m cuttin’ off his b____”
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 w____.
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 (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 downside of up
And everything between.
I licked the silver spoon
Drank from the golden cup
And smoked the finest green.
I stroked daddy’s 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 drugs.
He liked to hang out late
He liked to get s___-faced
And keep the pace with thugs.
Until late one night he was pickin a fight
And Max lost his head.
He pulled out his chrome 45
Talked some s___, and wound up dead
Now his wife and his kids
Are caught in the midst of all of this 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.
