Paul Willis - Self-Help Lyrics

Do I tell or do I breathe to get through it
Do I tell or do I breathe to get through it
I breathe

Dear mama, I know you trying
Working 3 jobs for all of us, it's just I am
Unsure of where my next meal come from
And my shoes are barkin, so the kids at school made fun of
We have enough, we have each other, don't have food
You work the night shift, so you can bring me to school
My daddy gone, and I'm not sure if he ever wanted to stay
Cant play in the park, I might get hit by strays
Mom, you tell me to pray, to find heaven on earth
But only the rich are white, so what am I worth
Mama, I see you tryin, it kills you cause I'm needy
I'm a growing into a man, you struggle try'na feed me
You a single mother's daughter, this is generational
So everything you do is truly inspirational
But it hurts, what makes this worse is we don't have to go through this
If you were on your own, I wouldn't have to do this

Do I tell or do I breathe to get through it
Do I tell or do I breathe to get through it
I breathe

Daddy, why you beat me, I'm your loving daughter
Scratches on my face like I came from a barber
All the boys touch me, sayin call them what I call ya
Wish I could say it didn't, but it really does bother
Dad, do you love me? Am I pretty? Am I ugly
What if I got pregnant? Would you still want me
Would you beat me if you knew I was carrying a baby
Would you throw me down the stairs every time you call me lazy
Am I crazy? Your mind switches back and forth
You've been drinkin everyday since mom filed for divorce
And when she died, it's been eating you alive inside
I see it in your tears, before you black my eyes
Maybe you beat my face, because I have her eyes
Her hair, her nose, her mole, her smile
Daddy, I cook, I clean, I wash, I dry
I can't love you like she could, but you know I've tried

Do I tell or do I breathe to get through it
Do I tell or do I breathe to get through it
I breathe

Lord, I always knew that you would never forget me
But I abused my wife until the day that she left me
We had two kids, when she filed for divorce
I read the papers every night after my bottle of course
Son moved in with his mom cause he's a f*cking punk
But my loyal daughter stayed with me, a f*cking drunk
Lord, what did I do to earn this luck
I know it's your mercy that I still have her love
Or is it punishment? She's dating this boy, and now her stomach is
Growing, and I'm knowing that she's always havin trouble with
Her school, so I pummel her with punches, It's what you do
Test the ones who love you most, even if it's cruel
That's what the priest said at Catechism school
When he touched me, he told me God will test you too

Do I tell or do I breathe to get through it
Do I tell or do I breathe to get through it
I breathe