Still deal with the side effects
Still deal with the side effects

[Verse 1: Mariah Carey]
I was a girl, you was the man
I was too young to understand
I was naive, I just believed
Everything that you told me
Said you were strong, protecting me
Then I found out that you were weak
Keeping me there, under your thumb
'Cause you were scared that I'd become much
More than you could handle
Shining like a chandelier
That decorated every room inside
The private hell we built
And I dealt with it
Like a kid, I wished I could fly away, but instead

[Pre-Chorus: Mariah Carey]
I kept my tears inside
'Cause I knew if I started, I'd keep cryin'
For the rest of my life with you
I finally built up the strength to walk away
Don't regret it, but I still live with the side effects
[Chorus: Mariah Carey & Busta Rhymes]
Waking up scared some nights
Still dreaming about them violent times
Still a little protective 'bout the people that I let inside
Still a little defensive, thinkin' folks be tryin' to run my life
Still a little depressed inside
I fake a smile and deal with the side effects (Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh)
Side effects (Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Side effects (Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh) [I/](MC!)[/I]
Side effects (Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
You know I gotchu, Bus-a-bus!

[Verse 2: Busta Rhymes]
Get rid of the stress, rub it off girl
You don’t really need that, brush it off girl
You ain’t really going back, we ain’t tolerating that
And you know don’t you need to cut it off, girl
Real talk, baby, know I feel your pain
Let me lift your strength cuz it would kill your brain
I don’t even really gotta say no name
Even I was going through the same ol same
Little situation that would probably make you insane
Watch you get a little bored up at the loss of the game
The side effect would probably make you bug just a little bit
While you go through it and you feel a little shame
But it’s alright, it’s ok
See now I’mma get low, I know my way
Real slow, I’mma take it day by day
I remember what my momma used to say
“Stand up straight (straight), hold your head high (high)
Sky is the limit, (look) so reach for the sky (sky)
Live to the fullest little baby don’t cry
Don’t matter what they tryin’ to do, fly, baby, fly
Now that I’m good, I’mma reach for the next
While I see the world different from my new specs
On everything that I love with all due respect
I say we moves on, minus the side effects, MC!
[Chorus: Mariah Carey]
Waking up scared some nights
Still dreaming about them violent times
Still a little protective 'bout the people that I let inside
Still a little defensive, thinkin' folks be tryin' to run my life
Still a little depressed inside
I fake a smile and deal with the side effects (Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh)
Side effects (Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Side effects (Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Side effects (Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)

[Verse 3: Mariah Carey]
Vacant inside, no one was there
Couldn't be real, had to keep quiet
Once in a while, put up a fight
It's just too much, night after night
After a while, I would just lie
You was dead wrong, said you was right
Did what I could just to survive
Couldn't believe this was my life
Flickering like a candle
Doing my best to handle sleeping with the enemy
Aware that he was smothering every last part of me
So I broke away and finally found the strength to leave

[Pre-Chorus: Mariah Carey]
Kept the tears inside
'Cause I knew if I started I'd keep crying
For the rest of my life with you
I finally built up the strength to walk away
Don't regret it, but I still live with the side effects
[Chorus: Mariah Carey]
Waking up scared some nights
Still dreaming about them violent times
Still a little protective 'bout the people that I let inside
Still a little defensive, thinkin' folk be tryin' to run my life
Still a little depressed inside
I fake a smile and deal with the side effects (Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh)
Side effects (Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Side effects (Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Side effects (Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)

[Bridge: Mariah Carey]
Forgive, but I can't forget
Every day I deal with this
I live with the side effects
But I ain't gon' let them get the best of me (I forgive)
Forgive, but I can't forget (My)
Every day I deal with this
I live with the side effects
But I ain't gon' let them get the best of me (Hey, oh)

[Pre-Chorus: Mariah Carey]
I kept my tears inside
'Cause I knew if I started I'd keep crying
For the rest of my life with you
I finally built up the strength to walk away
(The strength to walk away)
Don't regret it, but I still live with the side effects

[Chorus: Mariah Carey]
Waking up scared some nights (Hey, hey)
Still dreaming about them violent times (Said I still wake up)
Still a little protective about the people that I let inside (Cryin)
Still a little defensive, thinkin' folks be tryin' to run my life
Still a little depressed inside
I fake a smile and deal with the side effects (Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh)
Side effects (Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh)
Side effects (Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh)
Side effects (Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh)