BATTERED WIVES AND GIRLFRIENDS

Oh, don't you worry none
about last night's commotion,
me and the kids are doin' fine,
oh that? it's nothin',
I fell down the stairs
I'm clumsy like that all the time
Oh, was he here?
oh did he ask where I was?
He's always wonderin'
where I've been
I have to watch it
when I talk on the phone,
I never hear him listening

My native country's full of
battered wives and girlfriends
we're told we're helpless,
what we need is a strong hand
here, take our names
here, take our voice
here, take our freedoms,
'cuz we're just too dumb
too use 'em ourselves
yeah, we're too dumb
to make decision ourselves

He says I never try
and see how he feels
workin' so hard every day,
and he don't mean no harm,
he just lost his head,
I shouldn't have talked back anyway
and when he helps me
wipe the blood off my face
his apology's so sweet,
he always promises
to change from now on,
he go and buy the kids a treat

My native country's full of
battered wives and girlfriends,
"Oh, but I love him,
how could I go on without him?"
And, besides, you know
there's no place we could hide
and there's no way
we could defend ourselves,
yeah, we're too little
to stick up for ourselves

Oh, yes, it's true,
you know, I don't get out much,
I never know when he might show
and if I'm not here
cookin', cleanin' and such,
he'll do things you don't wanna know
and I don't have to
send the kids to their room,
they've learned by now to shut the door
I hope they don't end up
like me when they're old,
just lookin' down and takin' more


My native country's full of
battered wives and girlfriends,
we let the violence escalate,
wake up, it won't end,
no one will help us,
everyone, we're on our own
and we'll just have to fix
this country ourselves,
yeah, we'll just have to
save this country ourselves,
or we'll have no one to blame
but ourselves