Black And White
Cherryholmes Lyrics


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Oh, let me tell my story friend
That you might learn to stay away from sin
I took a life not mine to take
Imprisoned for this haunting dread mistake

My heart was harder than my soul
They sentenced me to life without parole
Where no one cares, we’re all the same
And I must wear this number for my name

Chorus :
Now life to me is black and white
I’ll wear these stripes until the day I die
But this ball and chain around my leg
Won’t drag me down, won’t drag me down
When I am dead

My mother prayed so hard for me
She did her time down on bended knees
But I was young and I had no fear
Her pleading voice still echoes in my ear

Don’t let the beauty blind your eyes
This world is filled with discolored lies
For greener fields don’t sell your soul
You’ll think you’re rich with a pocket of fool’s gold

Chorus

I’d rather be in this dark cell
Than to be free and die and go to hell
God bless the day of my new birth
I don’t have to pay the price that I deserve

Chorus

Ending:




And when I’m dead and take my flight
I’ll leave behind this world of black and white

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Black and White by Cherryholmes tell the story of a person who is serving life in prison for taking someone's life. The singer urges the listener to learn from their mistake and avoid a similar fate. Despite being imprisoned, the singer refuses to let the circumstances or the prison system drag them down. This is evident in the chorus where they sing, "Now life to me is black and white, I'll wear these stripes until the day I die, But this ball and chain around my leg, Won't drag me down, won't drag me down, when I am dead."


In the second verse, the singer talks about their mother, who prayed for them tirelessly but was unable to prevent them from making a grave mistake. The mother's plea for the singer to avoid the world's lies and not to sell their soul is echoed throughout the chorus. In the third verse, the singer reveals that they would rather be in prison than to be free and go to hell. They express gratitude for their new birth and salvation, which means they will not have to pay the price they deserve for their actions.


The lyrics of Black and White by Cherryholmes convey a message of redemption and hope. Despite the singer's mistakes, they continue to find ways to rise above their circumstances and not let them define them.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh, let me tell my story friend
Allow me to share my experience with you


That you might learn to stay away from sin
So that you can avoid wrongdoing


I took a life not mine to take
I wrongfully caused someone's death


Imprisoned for this haunting dread mistake
I am incarcerated for this regretful decision


My heart was harder than my soul
My actions were driven by my lack of empathy


They sentenced me to life without parole
I was given a life sentence without the possibility of release


Where no one cares, we’re all the same
In prison, we are all treated equally and no one cares about our background


And I must wear this number for my name
I am identified by a number rather than my name


Chorus :


Now life to me is black and white
Life in prison is bleak


I’ll wear these stripes until the day I die
I will always be a prisoner


But this ball and chain around my leg
The hardships of prison life


Won’t drag me down, won’t drag me down
I will not let it defeat me


When I am dead
Even after I pass away


My mother prayed so hard for me
My mother prayed for my safety


She did her time down on bended knees
She dedicated her time to prayer


But I was young and I had no fear
I was immature and fearless


Her pleading voice still echoes in my ear
I still remember my mother's pleas


Don’t let the beauty blind your eyes
Do not be fooled by appearances


This world is filled with discolored lies
The world is full of deceitful intentions


For greener fields don’t sell your soul
Do not compromise your values for material wealth


You’ll think you’re rich with a pocket of fool’s gold
You may have temporary riches that are not worth anything


Chorus


I’d rather be in this dark cell
I prefer being in prison


Than to be free and die and go to hell
I would rather not be free and end up in hell


God bless the day of my new birth
I am grateful for my spiritual awakening


I don’t have to pay the price that I deserve
I am thankful for being saved from the consequences of my actions


Chorus


And when I’m dead and take my flight
When I pass away and go to heaven


I’ll leave behind this world of black and white
I will no longer be a prisoner




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