[Intro]
Why, yeah, must you be so mean?

[Verse 1]
You know you're doing me wrong
Ain't no need to be so mean
You ain't never satisfied
I pay your bills, and I keep you clean
I ain't never hurt you, girl
Why you wanna treat me so mean?

[Chorus]
Why (uh!), must you be so mean?
(Ooh...) ooh, baby
Baby, you (oh, you) don't have to be so mean
(Ooh...) hey hey, mm
Why must you be so mean?
Ooh, well

[Verse 2]
Anything you want I'll give to you
If you want it, I'll find it, I'll get it for you
Don't be so mean (no), so mean (no), so mean (no), woo!
Ooh, don't be so mean
I know you got yourself another man
Yeah, but must you put my money in his hands?
Yeah yeah, girl, can't you see?
You're pouring water on a drowning man
[Chorus]
Why must you be so mean?
Uh! (ooh...) stop it, baby
Baby, you (oh you) don't have to be so mean
Well, oh... ow!
Why must you be so mean?

[Verse 3]
Some player that you knew before
Done you wrong, now you're gonna make me suffer
Girl, the awful way you carry on
So mean, so mean, so mean
You take my car when it's full of gas
You don't bring it back, until the gas is gone
You can treat me mean, but leave my car alone
I got to shoot her, bring my pistol to me

[Chorus]
Why (ow!), must you be so mean?
Hey... yeah!
Baby, you (ow!) don't have to be so mean
Why must you be so mean? Stop it, baby
Baby, you don't have to be so mean
Why (why), must you be so mean?
Baby, you (hey) don't have to be so mean
[Bridge]
Ooh, stop it, baby... ow
Uh, why... hey, hey, hey

[Outro]
Why (ow!), must you be so mean?
All I've tried, and tried, and tried, girl
Baby, you (ow!) don't have to be so mean
You take my money, spend it all over town, woo!
Why must you be so mean?
Why you wanna treat me so mean? Ooh!
Baby, you (oh girl!) don't have to be so mean, no...
Why must you be so mean?
So mean, mean, mean, mean, mean, mean
Baby, you don't have to be so mean
Ow...! Don't be so mean
Why (why), must you be so mean...?