[Intro — Spoken, amused] Oh. You liked me better when I was convenient. That's adorable. [Verse 1] I used to bring a ladder to a burning house Climb through the window, carry everybody out Then apologize for tracking ashes on the floor And ask if anybody needed anything more I could make a palace out of borrowed time Put my own name last and call it a design Everybody loved the way I gave and gave Funny how they vanished when I wanted to get paid [Pre-Chorus] Now somebody's handing me a shovel and a smile Saying, "Here's a worthy cause, could you stay a little while?" I look at my calendar, I look at my rent And I discover what a beautiful word "no" is [Chorus] Ooh, the audacity looks good on me Standing in the mirror like, who's that queen? I don't need a villain, don't need a scene Just a little self-respect and a dramatic beat Ooh, I love the sound of my own front door Closing on a deal I won't take anymore If you call that selfish, well, baby, we'll see But the audacity looks good on me [Verse 2] You say I oughta get involved and do some good Like I haven't left my fingerprints on half the neighborhood You brought a lovely lecture, bless your little heart But you showed up for the credits, I was there for every part I don't need to show you every scar I've earned Or submit a bibliography of everything I've learned You can keep your assumptions, I can keep my peace And neither one requires an apology from me [Pre-Chorus] There's a tiny little silence after I speak plain Used to rush to fill it, take the discomfort away Now I let it linger like the last note of a song And I find I like the feeling of not fixing what ain't wrong [Chorus] Ooh, the audacity looks good on me Standing in the mirror like, who's that queen? I don't need a villain, don't need a scene Just a little self-respect and a dramatic beat Ooh, I love the sound of my own front door Closing on a deal I won't take anymore If you call that selfish, well, baby, we'll see But the audacity looks good on me [Bridge — Half-spoken, building] I can be kind and still be expensive I can be warm and still be selective I can hear you out without handing you the keys I can love the whole world and still remember me I don't have to prove it I don't have to plead I don't have to make you comfortable To say what I mean And if my voice shakes? Let it shake in tune I'm not waiting till I'm fearless To take up room [Final Chorus — Triumphant] Ooh, the audacity looks good on me I've got nothing left to audition for, you see I can give from abundance, not necessity And I can walk away before it costs me me Ooh, the audacity looks good on me Not a martyr, not a monster, just a woman who is free Keep the crown, keep the cape, keep the fantasy I've got my name on the contract and the spare key [Outro — Spoken, smiling] Oh, you thought I was being difficult? No, sweetheart. This is me being available to myself. And apparently... I have excellent taste.
