[Verse 1: Maxine Jones]
I had a love (I had a love)
And I had pain (And I had a pain)
Best believe (Best believe)
They come hand in hand (Hand in hand)
'Cause I'm a soldier (I'm a soldier)
For the love brigade (Love brigade)
I'm prepared to do battle (Battle, battle)
With anything

[Chorus: En Vogue]
I have control of my life you see
Let's keep it real not to make believe
I won't get caught with my foot in my mouth
And I won't let love take me out
I have the power to do as I please
I take the blows and I do it with ease
I dish it out very hard there's no doubt
And I won't let love take me out

[Verse 2: Maxine Jones]
I had to be (Had to be)
A fool indeed (A fool indeed)
To let someone (Let someone)
Break me down to my knees (Down to my knees)
I was reckless (I was reckless)
With my heart you see (My heart you see)
There's no room for that in my world (My world)
And yet there's the man
[Pre-Chorus: Maxine Jones & En Vogue]
Say bye-bye to the teary brown eyes
And the big sad face with an upside down smile
It's so beneath me, it's so beneath me
Say bye-bye to the meaningless days
And the loneliest nights just wasting my mind
It's so beneath me, it can't control me

[Chorus: En Vogue]
I have control of my life you see
Let's keep it real not to make believe
I won't get caught with my foot in my mouth
And I won't let love take me out
I have the power to do as I please
I take the blows and I do it with ease
I dish it out very hard there's no doubt
And I won't let love take me out
I have control of my life you see
Let's keep it real not to make believe
I won't get caught with my foot in my mouth
And I won't let love take me out
I have the power to do as I please
I take the blows and I do it with ease
I dish it out very hard there's no doubt
And I won't let love take me out
[Bridge: En Vogue]
Won't take me out, won't take me out
Won't take me out, won't take me out
Won't take me out, won't take me out
Me out, me out, me out

[Verse 3: Maxine Jones]
Time to rise (Time to rise)
Time to shine (Time to shine)
Never again (Never again)
'Cause I decline ('Cause I decline)
To be a victim (To be a victim)
Of a broken heart (Of a broken heart)
'Cause I found the goddess in me
And now I leave my mark

[Chorus: En Vogue]
I have control of my life you see
Let's keep it real not to make believe
I won't get caught with my foot in my mouth
And I won't let love take me out
I have the power to do as I please
I take the blows and I do it with ease
I dish it out very hard there's no doubt
And I won't let love take me out
I have control of my life you see
Let's keep it real not to make believe
I won't get caught with my foot in my mouth
And I won't let love take me out
I have the power to do as I please
I take the blows and I do it with ease
I dish it out very hard there's no doubt
And I won't let love take me out
I have control of my life you see
Let's keep it real not to make believe
I won't get caught with my foot in my mouth
And I won't let love take me out
I have the power to do as I please
I take the blows and I do it with ease
I dish it out very hard there's no doubt
And I won't let love take me out
[Outro: En Vogue]
Love...
I have the power to do as I please
I won't let it take me out
I dish it out very hard there's no doubt
And I won't let love take me out