That Street

Walking down the street, I was fourteen, innocent
Sister next to me, right in our hometown
Take a shortcut past the car wash
Then we’ll be at my school picking up the book I left at lunch
“I know right where I left it,” I tell her with a smile
Only got a mile to go
Then I look to my left to find
A group of guys with their eyes watching us as we walk

I never felt so uncomfortable
But they broke the silence quick with the words they spoke
It was loud, it was vulgar, it was sexual
Intentional to make us feel like nothing more
Than centerfolds, just pages turning when you want
And when you’re done you’re moving on another one

And that day I walked away feeling something new
That would become all too familiar all too soon

I’ll never go, I’ll never go down that street again
I’ll never go, I’ll never go down that street again
Oh, you should know
Boy, you should know
You should know better but you don’t
Now I’ll never go, I’ll never go down that street again

It took a long time for me to realize
That it wasn’t anything that I did wrong
I shouldn’t have to cover up, shouldn’t sacrifice myself
And make sure my skirt’s real long
It’s not an open invitation
My body’s not for the taking
My heart is breaking that I have to say this
But it’s our reality

A right of passage, if you will
These things’ll happen against your will
Out on a corner, in a dorm, or even when you’re standing still

And it’s the reason that I struggle just to trust
Cause if paranoia ruled your life you’d understand us

I’ll never go, I’ll never go down that street again
I’ll never go, I’ll never go down that street again
Oh, you should know
Boy, you should know
You should know better but you don’t
Now I’ll never go, I’ll never go down that street again

Girl, why you walking ‘round with your head down?
Tryna tell you turn your frown upside down
Cause with a face that pretty and an ass that sweet
It’s a shame you’re not flaunting all around town
Hey, where you going? Why you ignoring?
I’m talking to you
Only a compliment, baby
Looked like you wanted it too
This is my attempt at asserting my power over you
On the prowl like a predator
My prey is on the move

Now I’m praying that you won’t tell
Nobody what I’m ‘bout to do
But chances are that when you tell
They’ll think it ain’t the truth
And that’s why men like me
Keep doing what we do
We’re taught that girls are property
Just objects here to screw

Object us and reject us
Then we scold when you’re emboldened
Systematic how we hold you down
Because silence is golden

Hold us down
No, you can’t hold us down
Just like a battleground
And we’ve got numbers on you now

I’ll never go, I’ll never go down that street again
I’ll never go, I’ll never go down that street again
Oh, you should know
Boy, you should know
You should know better but you don’t
Now I’ll never go, I’ll never go down that street again

Hold us down
No, you can’t hold us down
Just like a battleground
And we’ve got numbers on you now