[Intro] [Verse 1] Came in from the field with the kill still warm Blood on my knuckles, the way he liked it done Stamped off the dust, threw the tent flap wide [Spoken]"Rise up, old man — it's your firstborn son" [Verse 2] He turned toward my voice and the blood left his face "Your brother came first with your coat and your smell His arms were all hair where a smooth boy should be I gave him your blessing — I couldn't tell" [Chorus] This was my birthright, mine by blood and name Not a bowl of red stew, not a starving man's sin While my father's eyes went dark, somebody came And wore my skin for the blessing to win Go on and call it fate, ( ...) call it meant to be — I call it theft, blessed by my father's decree [Verse 3] I begged him, "Have you kept me nothing at all? Not one stolen word you could hand back to me?" [Sung]"I've made him your master, your lord and your kin You'll liv by the sword, and you'll never be free" [Chorus] This was my birthright, mine by blood and name Not a bowl of red stew, not a starving man's sin While my father's eyes went dark, somebody came And wore my skin for the blessing to win Go on and call it fate, ( ...) call it meant to be — I call it theft, blessed by my father's decree [Bridge] [Spoken] Ya'akov That's the name — it means "heel" The hand that grabs hold and drags a man down He had my foot in his fist when we were born Still pulling me under while they fit him the crown [Chorus] This was my birthright, mine by blood and name Not a bowl of red stew, not a starving man's sin While my father's eyes went dark, somebody came And wore my skin for the blessing to win Go on and call it fate, ( ...) call it meant to be — But history's just the version that the winner gets to see [Outro] Firstborn Written out of my own name Firstborn The story only knows me by my shame [End]
