Can’t Hold Us Down

[Intro: Christina Aguilera]
Mm

[Verse 1: Christina Aguilera]
So, what, am I not 'sposed to have an opinion?
Should I keep quiet just because I'm a woman?
Call me a bitch 'cause I speak what's on my mind
Guess it's easier for you to swallow if I sat and smiled
When a female fires back
Suddenly big talker don't know how to act
So he does what any little boy would do
Makin' up a few false rumors or two
That for sure is not a man to me
Slanderin' names for popularity
It's sad you only get your fame through controversy (It's so sad)
But now it's time for me to come and give you more to say

[Chorus: Christina Aguilera]
This is for my girls all around the world (Around the world)
Who've come across a man that don't respect your worth (Whoa)
Thinkin' all women should be seen not heard (Whoa)
So what do we do girls? Shout louder!
Lettin' 'em know we're gonna stand our ground (Stand our ground)
Lift your hands high and wave 'em proud (Whoa)
Take a deep breath and say it loud (Whoa)
Never can, never will, can't hold us down

[Post-Chorus: Christina Aguilera]
Nobody can hold us down (Hold us down)
Nobody can hold us down (Hold us down)
Nobody gonna hold us down (Hold us down)
Never can, never will

[Verse 2: Christina Aguilera]
So, what, am I not 'sposed to say what I'm sayin'?
Are you offended with the message I'm bringin'?
Call me whatever 'cause your words don't mean a thing
Guess you ain't even a man enough to handle what I sing
If you look back in history
It's a common double standard of society
The guy gets all the glory, the more he can score
While the girl can do the same and yet you call her a whore
I don't understand why it's okay
The guy can get away with it, the girl gets named
All my ladies come together and make a change
And start a new beginning for us, everybody sing

[Chorus: Christina Aguilera & Lil' Kim]
This is for my girls all around the world (Around the world) (Yeah)
Who've come across a man that don't respect your worth (Respect your worth)
Thinkin' all women should be seen not heard
(You can't get rid of us)
So what do we do girls? Shout louder!
Lettin' 'em know we're gonna stand our ground
(We standin' our ground on this one)
Lift your hands high and wave 'em proud (Whoa)
Take a deep breath and say it loud
Never can, never will, can't hold us down (Check it)

[Verse 3: Lil' Kim]
Here's something I just can't understand
If a guy have three girls then he's the man
He can even give her some head, then sex her raw
If a girl do the same, then she's a whore
But the tables 'bout to turn, I bet my fame on it
Cats take my ideas and put they name on it
It's alright though, you can't hold me down
I got to keep on movin'
To all my girls with a man who be tryna mack
Do it right back to him and let that be that
You need to let him know that his game is whack
And Lil' Kim and Christina Aguilera got your back

[Bridge: Christina Aguilera]
You're just a little boy, you think you're so cute, so coy
You must talk so big, to make up for smaller things
Said you're just a little boy, all you do is annoy
You must talk so big, to make up for smaller things
This is for my girls!

[Chorus: Christina Aguilera]
This is for my girls all around the world, oh
Who've come across a man that don't respect your worth
(Respect your worth, oh)
Thinkin' all women should be seen not heard
So what do we do girls? Shout louder! (Shout louder!)
Lettin' 'em know we're gonna stand our ground (Stand our ground)
Lift your hands high and wave 'em proud (Whoa)
Take a deep breath and say it loud
Never can, never will, can't hold us down (Whoa)
This is for my girls all around the world (All my girls)
Who've come across a man that don't respect your worth (Around the world)
Thinkin' all women should be seen not heard (Yeah)
So what do we do girls? Shout louder!
Lettin' 'em know we're gonna stand our ground (Stand our ground)
Lift your hands high and wave 'em proud (Whoa)
Take a deep breath and say it loud
Never can, never will, can't hold us down

[Breakdown: Christina Aguilera & Lil' Kim]
(Uh, oh-oh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh)
Spread the word (Can't hold us down)
Yeah, we here, we back again, yeah
Lil' Kim and Christina Aguilera
Yeah (Can't hold us down, uh, uh)