The Voice
Staples Mavis Lyrics

Lord, have mercy
Watching someone die, and pleading for mercy.

Bang! - A gunshot rings out
The sound of a gunshot, killing a child.

13-year-old baby falls 2 the ground
A child, who still needed to grow up, dies as a result of gun violence.

See the killer runnin' down the street
The murderer is escaping from the scene of the crime.

Tell me killer, can you hear the sound?
Asking the murderer if they can hear the cries of the victim and their family.

Tap, tap, tappin' on your window like a fallin' rain
A plea for help that cannot be ignored.

Cryin' like a baby in a cradle sayin' pick me up again
Asking for help from someone who is in a position to make a difference.

Ching! - Mr. Politician goes on vacation
Politicians go on vacations, leaving the issues they were working on behind.

Brings along a friend or 2
Politicians go on vacations with people they know, leaving their constituents behind to deal with the issues.

In the disguise of taxes
Politicians send bills to their constituents under the guise of taxes.

Mr. Politician (sends) sends the bill 2 you know who
The people who are being harmed by these policies are the ones who have to pay for them.

The nightsticks are still singin'
Police brutality is still rampant, and is a form of state-sanctioned violence.

4-part harmony on brother's back
Police beating someone is like a 4-part harmony.

Justice is doomed when we don't start no S-H
We have to speak up and take action to achieve justice.

And there's still some I-T in all of that
There’s still racism and injustice in the system.

Ha, suky, suky now
A phrase of frustration and disgust.

Sho'mon (Tap)
Asking for someone to listen to what is being said.

Help me here (Tap)
Asking for assistance and for someone to take action.

Can't you hear the voice?
Asking people to listen to the voice of change.

Take off these chains (Tap) (Tap)
Asking to be freed from the chains that bind us.

And listen 2 the voice callin' (Tap)
Urging people to listen to the voice of change.

5-4-3-2-1, keep the war over (Tap)
Calling for peace and to end violence and wars.

But how many want to keep the peace (Tap) (Tap)
Questioning how many people are actually committed to peace.

We keep buildin' guns when we could build love
Declaring that we need to focus more on building love instead of weapons.

(When we need 2 build love)
Emphasizing the need for love in a time of war.

you know it, you know it (Tap) (Tap)
Insisting that the listener knows what is right and that positive change is possible.

Can't you hear the voices? (Tap) (Tap)
Encouraging people to listen to the voices of change and unite.

Can't you hear the sound?
Reminding people of the urgency to act and bring positive change.

Take heed, get your house in order (Tap)
Asking for action, organization, and unity to build a society that values love, peace, and justice.

Sighin' like a woman on fire
A woman crying out for love from her partner.

When she's ready 4 some of your love
When a woman is ready for love, she is willing to accept it.

(Born ready 4 all of your love)
Emphasizing the importance of love and human connection.

The voice is just a-steady-callin'
The voice of change is always present, calling for action.

(The voice is callin')
Reinforcing the idea that the voice of change is always there, waiting to be heard.

Until you give in, until you give up
The voice of change will continue to call, and we need to respond until we see positive change.