Roxanne Shanté
Runaway
[Verse 1]
It's a story, I came to say
To tell you just about those runaways
Oh you run away, and you leave home
Just thinkin' you're grown, want to be on your own
But yo, I came to stop you, right in your tracks
I am your conscience, for you to turn back
I came to tell you, what it's about
How you should stay in and you shouldn't go out
Now I wanna tell you yes, how the story goes
Just in case you didn't get the knowledge and you don't know
I want to tell you just how it is
Out there in the streets and all the other biz
This is what happens, straight to you
And don't stop me until I'm through
First you run away to a city yes
Sayin' I'm gonna live and be super fresh
But it don't work that way, don't you see?
So come on listen, straight to me
'Cause I am your conscience and your guide
Sayin' don't run away straight from the inside
You're a runaway

[Scratch Break]

[Verse 2]
Now I am the spirit, inside your body
The one who makes you want to dance at a party
I'm the one who lets you have fun
Who always tells you to go home, at quarter to one
And when your mother told you, to be home, yes
I'm tellin' you my decision is best
If you don't want to listen to me
Let me tell you how it is, out there on the street
First you meet the pimps, the pushers yes
They always sweep you up and tell you "You are fresh"
They buy you all clothes, give you coke in your nose
But where do you go? No one knows
See I can foretell the future, just in case you don't know
And this is the way, the story will go
First you live over here, then you live over there
Then you live in the streets, won't be livin' anywhere
You'll have no kind of income, comin' to you
And now you know your life is through
You should've listened to me, straight from the start
Because I'm givin' you advice, right from the heart
You're a runaway
[Scratch Break]

[Verse 3]
I will tell you, the straight up truth
And now we're sittin' out here, with no juice
We're just sittin' on a corner, just like this
And it is home that we don't miss
I tried to turn you around, once before
Before you walked straight, out the door
Before you threw down the key, you should've listened to me
'Cause now we're out here, just livin' in the street
You're a runaway

[Scratch Break]

Why did we run away?

[Verse 4]
We ran away, we did it this time
That's the whole purpose of me sayin' these lines
I had to let you know, just how it would go
You don't listen to me, don't you think I know?
I kept telling you, just how it would be
I am your conscience, just listen to me
I am a friend, I am true
And since it's happening to me you know it's happening to you
Runaway
[Scratch Break]

Why does she run away?

[Verse 5]
Listen to me, this is no lie
You coulda stayed in school, could've went with that guy
Remember the guy, he was sitting down?
The one that wanted to take you out on the town
Why are you ruining your life? You could be his wife
You're stabbing me yes, like you're using a knife
You're not really doing, you're hurting yourself
But listen to me, 'cause I'm good for your health
Runaway

[Outro]