[INTRO – SOFT R&B] You call me, “Baby, come to me” You say, “Baby, you mean so much to me” “Baby, I love you…” But tell me, why do your sweetest words only come when I’m ready to leave? [VERSE 1 – SING-RAP] You call me, “Baby, come to me,” Say, “Baby, you mean everything to me.” “Baby, I love you, I’m crazy ’bout you,” But I only hear those pretty words when there’s something you need me to do. Or when you hurt me once again, then suddenly you’re my lover, my friend. I bite my tongue, take a breath, day by day I tell myself, “This time I’m choosing me instead.” But then you start again— “Baby, baby, don’t walk away.” “I know I make mistakes, but you’re the only one who understands me anyway.” And I hate that your words still get to me, ’cause every time I’m almost free, you pull me back emotionally. [PRE-CHORUS – MELODIC] You lift me up when I’m ready to fall, say all the things I wanna hear. You make me feel like maybe I should keep you near. But I know how this story ends, when the door closes again— same old pattern, same old pain. [CHORUS – R&B HOOK] So how do I choose me first when you pull me back every time? You say, “Baby, I need you,” but I need to find myself tonight. You say, “Nobody loves you like I do,” then why do I feel so alone with you? You hold me with your words, but I know what’s waiting underneath. I wanna choose me, choose me, but you make me forget who I am. I wanna leave you, leave you, but your words keep pulling me back again. [VERSE 2 – HARDER HIPHOP] When I don’t do what you expect from me, everything changes instantly. You scream that I’m worthless, say I never do anything right. You make me weigh every word before I say what’s on my mind. ’Cause when I speak my truth, I’m ungrateful, when I tell you how I feel, I’m just complaining all the time. You say, “You should be grateful that you got someone like me. You’d never find somebody better, you’ll see.” But if I really have it so good, why do you have to make me question my own worth every day? [PRE-CHORUS – BUILD] Every night I’m asking myself, “What am I supposed to do?” How do I stand my ground when you keep pulling me back to you? You promise gold, you promise change, but promises are just words. And I’ve heard them a thousand times— I can’t keep living off your words. [CHORUS – BIGGER] So how do I choose me first when you pull me back every time? You say, “Baby, I need you,” but I need to find myself tonight. You say, “Nobody loves you like I do,” then why do I feel so alone with you? You hold me with your words, but I know what’s waiting underneath. I wanna choose me, choose me, but you make me forget who I am. I wanna leave you, leave you, but your words keep pulling me back again. [BRIDGE – EMOTIONAL R&B] Maybe I lost myself somewhere between you and me. I gave you pieces of my soul until there was barely anything left of me. But somewhere deep inside, I know that girl is still alive. And when the world gets quiet, I hear her whisper: “Baby, you gotta save yourself…” Maybe it’s time I finally listen. [FINAL CHORUS – EXPLOSIVE] ’Cause I’m gonna choose me first, even when my heart says no. I’m gonna find my way back to myself, even if that means I gotta let you go. You can say, “Baby, come back,” you can say, “I still need you.” But I’ve heard it all before, and I know what your words will lead to. I choose me, choose me, I gotta find my way back to me. I choose me, choose me, this time I won’t abandon me. (Oh-oh…) Not for your words. (Yeah…) Not for your promises. I choose me.
