The Way It Was Before

I left my home and rolled the dice
followed the promise of a better life
Now I work at the factory
on the third shift while my kids sleep
They say our job's a necessity
they turn the lock and hide the keys
They call us heroes on the killing floor
but a day off is something that I can't afford
we can't go back to the way it was before
while some profit of the ones who just endure
we all know whats broken won't get fixed by wishin and hopin
we can't just go back to the way it was before
He walked me down the aisle just last July
and when he gave me away oh how he cried
And in the spring we said we've got big news to share
he said I'll get some wine along the way somewhere
You always think it happens in some other town
till someone pulls a gun and shots ring out
and now there's a hole in our family
and a granddaughter on the way he'll never meet

we can't go back to the way it was before
afraid to go to school or to a grocery store
we all know it needs repair it won't get fixed thoughts and prayers
we can't just go back to the way it was before

Now I'm scrolling though the headlines my screen
another black man crying out that he can't breathe
why am I surprised its happening again
Isn't this the way its always been?

It don't even matter if there was a crime
The system works exactly how it was designed
And the indifference is so deeply ingrained
That means I'm the one that needs make the change

we can't go back to the way it was before
the in-justice can no longer be ignored
none of us are free, until we all can be
we can't just go back to the way it was before