Locked Inside
Janelle Monae Lyrics

I'm locked inside
The singer feels trapped, unable to leave where she is.

A land called foolish price
Here, foolishness is valued, and logic and reason are not.

Where the man is always right
In this land, men are never wrong or need to acknowledge any contradictions.

He hates to talk but loves to fight Is that all right?
Violence is seen as preferable to dialogue.

On real cold days He loans us lots of hate But he says that we must pay To take it all away Is that okay?
When conditions are hard, aggression is given out far more frequently, although it needs to be paid for.

But I'm asking you will you stay with me In this land where we are free And I know it's rough And you've had enough But one day we'll be happy
The singer wants someone to stay with her, despite the difficult situation.

And when I look into the future I see danger in its eyes Hearts of hatred rule the land while love is left aside Killing plagues the citizens while music slowly dies I get frightened, I - see, I get frightened, I
The singer sees a bleak future with little love, lots of violence, and suppressed music.

Oh how, oh how I need you baby To keep me from going crazy I really need you baby Need you to stay
The artist relies on someone to help her avoid losing her mind.

She's quick to fight For her man but not her rights Even though it's 3005 When will we end this genocide? And that's not right Her children cry No food to eat and her friends as flies The color black means it's time to die And nobody questions why Cause they're too scared to stop the man
The artist observes someone acting combatively, but caring less about her welfare versus that of a man's while realizing the intensity of the problems: genocide, malnutrition, and death, which all persist due to fear of the oppressor.

I can make a change I can start a fire Lord make me love again Fill me with desire
The artist empowers herself to make a difference, to ignite affection in others, and to be driven by ambition.

And when I look into your pretty eyes I almost want to cry I think about my life and I don't want to live a lie How I need you baby, I need you right by my side I need you tonight, I need you tonight
The singer feels like crying when they look into someone's eyes, realising she wants honesty in her life and is dependent upon the person to stay with her as she feels overwhelmed.

Yeah! How I need you baby See I can't let you go, I need you On the other side On the other side I love you so and I'll never let you go On the other side!
The artist tells someone how much she loves them and wants them to always stay beside her.