SINGER: Ani Difranco

SONG:Hide And Seek

Me and all the kids from the neighboorhood--
we'd play out in the street all summer long.
rule was we had to go home at night,
when the street lights came on.
we were oblivious to the rest of the world.
and we'd hold up the cars in the street.
yeah, we'd always play boys against girls,
and both sides would cheat.
ohh...
strange men would stop their cars at the curb
say: "hey sweetheart come here.",
and i'd go up to the window and they'd have their dick out in their hand
with a sick little sneer.
and i'd say
"here we go again! yeah, ok this time you win."
and i would feel dirty, i'd feel ashamed,
but i wouldn't let it stop my game.
we would play hide and go seek.
territory would be the whole block.
sometimes the older boys when they'd find you,
they wouldn't want to tag you, they'd just want to talk.
they'd say "what would you do for a quarter? come on, we don't have that much time."
and i'd think a minute and i'd say:
"ok...give me the quarter first. fine."
this time you win.
here we go again!
and i would feel dirty and i would feel ashamed,
but i wouldn't let it stop my game.
i remember my first trip alone on the greyhound bus,
and the man who put his hands on me to see where his knife fell
and i remember when i left how excited i was
and i remember when i arrived i didn't feel so well.
i remember the teacher at school got me so sick and scared
i went into the bathroom and threw up in my hair
and i could go on, but you know, it just gets worse
so i think i'll stop there...
girl, next time he wants to know
what your problems is...
girl, next time he wants to know
where the anger comes from...
just tell him this time the problem's his.
tell him the anger just comes.
it just comes.