Cleveland winter cuttin’ deep, wind whip through the cracks Noble Motel sign flickerin’, Room 217 never sleep Dirty Red in lace and leather, lips cherry-wet, eyes cold She a prayer and a curse walkin’, scripture in the way she move slow Men pull up in rented whips, thinkin’ they the ones in control She laugh low, pour ‘em brown, let the dress slip off her shoulder By the time they pants hit the floor, they soul already sold Wallet in her bra, phone on silent, another trick turned to gold Her girls blow her line: “Red, quit playin’, go get a job at the plant” She just hit ‘em back with a laugh, “Y’all broke—this dick pay my rent” Dirty Red, Dirty Red, ridin’ ‘til the wheels fall off Beauty like a loaded gun, she love the kick, love the cost Room 217 smell like sin, money, and regret She say, “Long as they want this body, I ain’t done yet” Oh, Dirty Red, Red, Red, dancin’ with the devil in stilettos One day that dance gon’ cost more than she ready to let go One night the trick rolled deep—tats on his neck, dead in the eyes Said his name was Dre, talked sweet, but his grip too tight on her thighs She still played the part, moaned his name, reached for the wallet slow He caught her wrist mid-reach, smile gone: “You thought I ain’t know?” Fist like concrete, lights went black, blood on the peachy walls Boot to the ribs, laughter cold: “Trans bitches steal—that’s all” Left her leakin’ on the carpet, took his money back and bounced She woke up in Cleveland Clinic, tubes in her arms, monitors loud Nurses shook they head, “Baby, you gotta stop” She just touched her face, smiled crooked: “Least this pretty still intact” Dirty Red, Dirty Red, back on the prowl again Stitches still fresh, but the hunger never ends Room 217 smell like smoke, new cologne, new lies She whisper to the mirror, “God made me too fine to die” Oh, Dirty Red, Red, Red, laughin’ while the reaper counts the seconds Pretty little tragedy—ain’t learned a single lesson Her mama prayin’ somewhere, candle burnin’ low Friends stopped callin’—they know how this story go Every trick a roulette spin, every night Russian roulette She say she in control… but control ain’t saved her yet Devil in the doorway wearin’ lust like cologne One of these nights he gon’ want more than a loan Dirty Red, Dirty Red, please hear the song That pretty neck too precious to end up gone Room 217 waitin’, bed still warm, trap still set But the next hand that touch you might be the one you can’t forget Oh, Dirty Red, Red, Red… How many close calls ‘fore the devil cash his debt? She just light another Newport, blow smoke at the sky “Long as these niggas want me—I ain’t never gon’ die”
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