[Verse 1]
Now if I should walk away
From this freedom I now possess
Honey, you must do the same
Without having any regrets, no
And you must offer me more
Than your promise of treating me right
Whoa-oh, it's gotta be that way

[Verse 2]
Now I don't mean to save my bill
I must have money to be extreme
Just give me a lot of love and care
Oh, and honey, all of those things
And I won't ask no more of you
Than I wouldn't do for you myself
Whoa-oh it's gotta be that way
It's gotta be that way
Oh-ho, mmm

[Verse 3]
Now we can't judge what we've got
By the people living next door
Even though Mr. Jones makes
Oh and he has a whole lot more
But instead let's make each other feel
That having our love is twice as much
Whoa-oh, it's gotta be that way
[Verse 4]
Now should our mothers say something
About maybe doing each other wrong
I'd simply say we can work it out
And politely ask them to leave us alone
And we won't let our friends interfere
Let our problems to them be unknown
Whoa-oh-oh, it's gotta be that way
It's gotta be that way

[Bridge]
Mhm, I wanna say it's gotta be that way
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, it's gotta be that way
Mhm, hmm, hmm, it's gotta be that way
Lord, Lord
And if I give you all I've got
I want all that you've got to give
Whoa-oh-oh, it's gotta be that way
It's gotta be that way
(It's gotta be that way)
It's gotta be that way

[Verse 5]
Now if you should sometimes
Want to be out with the boys
It's alright with me, go ahead
If that's really what you enjoy
And if I want to be with the girls
Playing cards and all those kind of games
Whoa-oh-oh, it's gotta be that way
[Verse 6]
Now I'm not trying to be demanding
I just want to have a little understanding
'Cause this ain't no game we're about to play, no, no
And a good foundation is based on
A lot of love and sacrifice
Whoa-oh-oh, it's gotta be that way
It's gotta be that way

[Outro]
Ooh-hoo-hoo, I wanna say it's gotta be that way
Can't you understand, can't you understand
It's gotta be that way
No matter how much I love you, baby
Lord, it's gotta be that way
If I give all I've got to you
It's gotta be that way
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, it's gotta be that way
Baby, baby, it's gotta be that way