"American History"| Bari Zezmore

[Verse 1] Vices are all that we know Prices on all of our souls It was better before the boardroom bought the radio Bitterness bled through the floorboards of the rodeo America’s history—one long bad reality show Ameri-can misery—rerun flags, calamity glow Shooting for stars, but the ceiling stays low Looting our hearts while we kneel in the glow Dancing for dimes in a slow-motion choke Prancing for primes while the whole machine smokes They paint it utopia, champagne and hope We taste the dystopia, chain-gang and smoke [Chorus] Not the city that raised me, but the city I’m from Not the glitter they gave me, just the grit in my lungs On the good days, glass-faced, jaded On the bad ones, blank-braced, faded But I can’t say no to your money And I can’t stay low when you love me No, I can’t say no to your time No, I can’t stay cold to the shine And I can’t say no to your fame Can’t say no when it names me pain No, I can’t say no to the life No, I can’t let go of the knife [Post-Chorus] La-da-da-da-da-da Lie-to-love, la-di-da Da-da-da-da-da-da Debt-and-dawn, da-di-da La-da-da-da-da-da Lights above, knives below Da-da-da-da-da-da I can’t run, I can’t go [Verse 2] How do you have so much? I hear it in little things How do you laugh so lush? It shimmers in silver rings You call them “good habits,” like books and three meals a day You call it “should have it”—look, but we kneel where we stay Reading and eating and sleeping okay Reaching and pleading and keeping the faith What about the rest of us? Are we really just not enough? What about the debts on us? Barely breathing, still calling our bluff We’re on our knees praying, “Please, just one crumb” We’re on the lease breaking, knees in the dust You’re spilling your plenty like rain from above We’re swallowing pennies and naming it love [Chorus] Not the city that raised me, but the city I’m from Not the glitter they gave me, just the grit in my lungs On the good days, glass-faced, jaded On the bad ones, blank-braced, faded But I can’t say no to your money And I can’t stay low when you love me No, I can’t say no to your time No, I can’t stay cold to the shine And I can’t say no to your fame Can’t say no when it names me pain No, I can’t say no to the life No, I can’t let go of the knife [Bridge] Oh, I can’t say no Owed, I can’t stay whole Oh, I can’t say no Gold in my throat says go No, I can’t say no Known, but I can’t go home No, I can’t say no Sold, but I still want soul Oh, I can’t say no Glow got me ghost-white cold Oh, I can’t say no No, I can’t say no [Final Chorus] Not the city that raised me, but the city I’m from Not the pity that saved me, just the city in my blood On the good days, glass-faced, jaded On the bad ones, ash-taste, vacant But I can’t say no to your money And I can’t stay low when you love me No, I can’t say no to your time No, I can’t stay cold to the shine And I can’t say no to your fame Can’t say no when it names me pain No, I can’t say no to the life No, I can’t let go of the knife [Outro] La-da-da-da-da-da Lie-to-love, la-di-da Da-da-da-da-da-da I can’t run, I can’t hide La-da-da-da-da-da Lights above, knives below Da-da-da-da-da-da I can’t say no to the life