Brown sugar
Studio 99 Lyrics

Gold Coast slave ship bound for cotton fields
A slave ship from the Gold Coast is headed for cotton fields with enslaved people.

Sold in the market down in New Orleans
The slaves are being sold in the New Orleans market.

Scarred old slaver knows he's doin' all right
The slave trader is confident in his cruel trade and takes pride in his work.

Hear him whip the women just around midnight
The slave trader whips the female slaves at midnight while they are forced to work.

Brown Sugar, how come you taste so good
Brown Sugar refers to a female slave who, despite being mistreated, maintains her sexual appeal, which the artist finds irresistible.

Brown Sugar, just like a young girl should
The singer believes that Brown Sugar embodies the ideal of what a young girl should be like.

Drums beatin' cold, English blood runs hot
Despite the cold drum beats, the English slave traders are excited by the prospect of selling and abusing their human cargo.

Lady of the house wonderin' when it's gonna stop
The plantation owner's wife questions when slavery and the cruelty it entails will end.

House boy knows that he's doin' all right
The enslaved boy who serves inside the plantation house believes that he is safe because of his position as a house servant.

You should have heard him just around midnight
The house boy engages in sexual activity with the female slaves at midnight.

Brown Sugar, how come you taste so good
The singer reiterates their deep sexual attraction to Brown Sugar despite her circumstances.

Brown Sugar, just like a young girl should
The artist continues to view Brown Sugar as a model of feminine perfection.

Brown Sugar, how come you dance so good
The singer admires Brown Sugar's skill as a dancer despite her oppression.

Brown Sugar, just like a black girl should
The singer associates Brown Sugar's dancing ability with her Blackness.

I bet your mama was a Cajun Queen, And all her boyfriends were sweet sixteen
The singer imagines that Brown Sugar's mother was a beautiful and sexually liberated woman who had relationships with younger men.

I'm no school boy but I know what I like
The artist asserts that they are not naive despite their attraction to Brown Sugar, and they know what they desire.

You should have heard them just around midnight
The artist recalls sexual activity with Brown Sugar and other female slaves at midnight.

Brown Sugar, how come you taste so good
The singer continues to express their intense sexual desire for Brown Sugar.

Brown Sugar, just like a black girl should
The singer believes that Brown Sugar embodies what it means to be a Black woman, including her sexuality.

I said, yeah, yeah, yeah, wooo
An expression of excitement and enthusiasm.

How come you, how come you dance so good
The artist again compliments Brown Sugar's dance skills and wonders how she manages to dance so well despite her oppression.

Just like a, just like a black girl should
The artist continues to define Brown Sugar's behavior and expression as quintessentially Black.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, wooo
An expression of excitement and enthusiasm.