Play God - Ani DiFranco

I was done at 16

Showin up for class

I was out there

In the ring

Learnin how to kick some ass

I was done at 16

Using my momma’s key

It was all on me

Yes it was all on me

Weren’t no free rides

Weren’t no IOU’s

I pulled my weight

I paid my dues

And I showed up

To enlist

On the first day of recruits

How bout you?

How bout you

I’m my brother’s keeper

Every chance I can

I pay my taxes

Like any working man

And I feel I’ve earned

My right to choose

You don’t get to play God, man

I do

You don’t get to play God, man

I do

You get to run the world

In your special way

You get much more

Much more than your say

Government, religion

It’s all just patriarchy

I must insist

You leave this one thing to me

Just one thing that a man needs

To be truly free

This is the modern world

And that one thing is money

But there are two things

That a woman needs

Control over her own body

Yes I pay the price

On top of everything

Each month a bill

Each month a reckoning

And each seed that dies

I cry and I bleed

So you can’t tell me

No you can’t tell me

I am a soldier

It’s my blood that flows

I’d give my life

So that this tree can grow

You don’t know creation

Like I know

So you can’t tell me

No you can’t tell me

I’m my brother’s keeper

Every chance I can

I pay my taxes

Like any workin man

And I feel I’ve earned

My right to choose

You don’t get to play God

I do

You don’t get to play God

I do

You don’t get to play God

I do