"Perfect Way To Die" lyrics
"Perfect Way To Die"
Simple walk to the corner store
Mama never thought she would be getting a call from the coroner
Said her son's been gunned down, been gunned down
"Can you come now?"
Tears in her eyes, "Can you calm down?
Please, ma'am, can you calm down?"
But it rained fire in the city that day, they say
A river of blood in the streets
No love in the streets
And then came silence in the city that day, they say
Just another one gone
And they tell her move on
And she's stuck there, singing
"Baby, don't you close your eyes
This could be our final time
And you know I'm horrible at saying goodbye
And I think of all you coulda done
At least you'll stay forever young
I guess you picked the perfect way to die
Oh, I guess you picked the perfect way to die"
New job, new city, new her
Bright-eyed, you would have been proud if you knew her
Flashing lights in the mirror, pull over, pull over
A couple nights in detention and it's over, a whole life's over
They came marching in the city that day, they say
Carrying signs in the streets
Crying eyes in the streets
But they heard nothing from the city that day, they say
Just another one gone
And the city moved on
We're stuck here singing
"Baby, don't you close your eyes
'Cause this could be our final time
And you know I'm horrible at saying goodbye
I'll think of all you coulda done
At least you'll stay forever young
I guess you picked the perfect way to die
Oh, I guess you picked the perfect way to die"
Another dream lost
Another king and queen lost
Another broken promise they refuse to make right
Oh, another night to live in fear
Oh, another night that you're not here
Another reason to get out there and fight
But I said, "Baby, don't you close your eyes
'Cause this could be our final time
And you know I'm horrible at saying goodbye
But I'll think of all you coulda done
At least you'll stay forever young
I guess you picked the perfect way to die
Oh, I guess you picked the perfect way..."
Writer(s): Alicia J. Augello-cook, Coleridge Tillman
Speaking with Trevor Noah on "The Daily Show" on the 15th of June 2020, Alicia Keys said that "Perfect Way to Die" was inspired by the killings of Mike Brown (Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014) and Sandra Bland (Texas in 2015). She explained in particular, "This deeply rooted racism, this police brutality, this treatment of black people that is just completely unacceptable. To the point where daily daily we are seeing lives lost, people murdered for... nothing, nothing. For being black." And added, "I'm just so honoured that this song can be alive in this time when we really are on the precipice of great change."
- AZLyrics
- A
- Alicia Keys Lyrics
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