Americans
Janelle Monáe Lyrics

Hold on, don't fight your war alone
Don't struggle alone in your battle

Halo around you, don't have to face it on your own
You have protection, you don't have to face it alone

We will win this fight
We will triumph over this adversity

Let all souls be brave
Let everyone be courageous

We'll find a way to heaven
We'll find a way out of this difficult time

War is old, so is sex
War has been around as long as sex has

Let's play God, you go next
Let's manipulate fate, your turn

Heads go up, men go down
Wealthy rulers prosper, ordinary men do not

Try my luck, stand my ground
I'll risk it all and stay firm in my beliefs

Die in church, live in jail
You can be devout and go to jail in America

Say her name, twice in hell
Remember the women who die and suffer in this oppressive society

Uncle Sam kissed a man
The personification of America (Uncle Sam) embraced homosexual love

Jim Crow Jesus rose again
The oppressive, discriminatory ways of America from the Jim Crow era can still be seen today

I like my woman in the kitchen
I see women's role as subservient and in the home

I teach my children superstitions
I'm passing on irrational beliefs to the next generation

I keep my two guns on my blue nightstand
I own firearms and keep them within reach at night

A pretty young thang, she can wash my clothes
I objectify women and expect them to do traditional gender roles

But she'll never ever wear my pants
She'll never be equal to me and wear the pants in the relationship

I pledge allegiance to the flag
I am loyal to the country

Learned the words from my mom and dad
I was taught to do this by my parents

Cross my heart and I hope to die
I promise earnestly

With a big old piece of American pie
With a slice of the American dream

Love me baby, love me for who I am
Accept me for who I am

Fallen angels singing, "clap your hands"
Celebrate those who fall for America's cause

Don't try to take my country, I will defend my land
I will protect my country from those who want to harm it

I'm not crazy, baby, naw
I'm not insane

I'm American
I am a citizen of America

Seventy-nine cent to your dollar
My female counterparts make much less than I do

All that bullshit from white-collars
I'm frustrated with the corruption and inequity of the wealthy elite

You see my color before my vision
People judge me based on skin color and not my character, accomplishments or abilities

Sometimes I wonder if you would fly
I ponder whether your perspective would change if you were in my shoes

Would it help you make a better decision?
Would empathy and understanding lead to better true judgement?

Until women can get equal pay for equal work
Until women are paid fairly

This is not my America
This is not the America I envision

Until same gender loving people can be who they are
Until members of the LGBTQ+ community can be themselves without fear of discrimination

Until black people can come home from a police stop without being shot in the head
Until Black people have safety and justice under the law

Until poor whites can get a shot at being successful
Until economic equity exists across all races and classes

I can't hear nobody talkin' to me
No one is listening to me

Until Latinos and Latinas don't have to run from walls
Until the United States does not have stringent xenophobic policies

But I tell you today that the devil is a liar
Today I am telling you that hatred and fear will not win