My mama gave me up when I was four years old
She didn’t destroy my body but she killed my soul
Now it’s cold ’cause I’m sleeping in my back seat
Understand the spirit’s willing but my flesh is weak
Let him speak
Let me speak, I never had a chance to dream
Ten years old and finding love in dirty magazines
Ms. December, you remember: I bought you twice
Now I’m thirty plus and still paying the price
Had a sister that I barely knew
Kind of got separated by the age of two
Same mama, different daddy, so we couldn’t fake it
I saw my sister’s daddy beat her in the tub naked
Take it serious, the demons in a man’s mind
The same man on rape charges, and now he’s doing time
Crack followed and like daddy prison thirteen years
Haven’t seen her, guess she’s traded tears for fears
Shout. Shout
Let it all out
These are the things I can do without
So come on
I’m talking to you
So come on
I got some more
Sex was how I made it through
Without someone to teach you love what else is there to do?
See, where I’m from they call you “gay” and say you ain’t a man
Show them you ain’t no punk
Get all the girls you can
A simple plan that still haunts me even now today
Back to seventeen and got a baby on the way
NO G.E.D., all I see is failure in my eyes
If you’re listening and remember I apologize
I was raised falling in the church
Made mistakes and heard the Lord’s calling in the church
After service in the parking lot getting high
Wanted to be accepted so bad I was willing to die
Even tried to tell the pastor, but he couldn’t see
Years of low self-esteem and insecurities
Church taught me how to shout and how to speak in tongues
But preacher teach me how to live now when the tongue is done,
Help me
Shout. Shout
Let it all out
These are the things I can do without
So come on
I’m talking to you
So come on
Listen to me
I’m talking to you
See I’m—see I’m
Soul survivor. Soul survivor
The world survivor
I just wanna let it go
Soul survivor. Soul survivor
The world survivor,
I just wanna let it go
Soul survivor, soul survivor
The world survivor
I just wanna let it go
Soul survivor, soul survivor
The world survivor,
Jesus, please on my knees, can’t you hear my crying
You said to put it in your hands and, Lord, I’m really trying
You wasn’t lying when you said you’d reap what you sow
Like that night mama died
It’s hard to let it go
You adopted me, cared for me, and changed my name
But I cursed at you, lied to you, and left you pain
It’s not strange I can still see it in my head
To know for hours you were lying there in that bed
If you’re listening to this record, if it’s day or night
If your mama is still living treat your mama right
Don’t be like me and let that moment slip away
And be careful ’cause you can’t take back what you say
To my real mama if you’re listening I’m letting it go
To my father I forgive you ’cause you didn’t know
That the pain was preparation for my destiny
And one more thing, Lord: let my son be a better man than me
Shout. Shout
Let it all out
These are the things I can do without
Time to let it go
So come on
Can’t you hear me?
I’m talking to you
I’m talking to you
So come on
You in the corner
You in the back
Shout. Shout
Let it all out
You don’t have to take your life
These are the things I can do without
You don’t have to cut your wrists
So come on
You don’t have to hide behind sex
I’m talking to you
So come on
Come on
Let it go