[Intro: Vanessa Williams, Coko, Vanessa Williams & SWV]
We will not bow down to, uh huh, racism
We will not bow down to injustice
We will not bow down to exploitation
I'm gon' stand, I'm gon' stand
[Refrain: Patra, Mary J. Blige, Meshell Ndegeocello]
Now this is time for free your mind and your soul (Mm-mmm)
Yo, half the story has never been told
Ladies, you got to demand what you want
And what we want is respect, right?
Come and take a walk with me (Oh, freedom, oh)
Closer walk with thee
See what only I can see
Sisters, check this (Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh)
Watch this
[Verse 1: Mary J. Blige, Zhané, Chilli, T-Boz, (Ensemble)]
(Freedom)
Turn us loose, set us free from all the chains that bind me
(Freedom)
Let us run in our own direction
(Freedom)
Let us go, set us free from all this propaganda and lies
That your people try to teach us
(Ah-ooh)
[Verse 2: T-Boz, Aaliyah, Caron Wheeler, Ensemble]
I know why you would like to bring us down
(Ah-ooh)
Because we have all the dirt on you
(Ah-ooh)
You try to tell us that our lives don't mean a damn
But we know so much better (Oooh)
So we're gonna take our freedom
[Chorus: Ensemble, Caron Wheeler, Mary J. Blige, T-Boz & Ensemble, (Di Reed of Jade)]
(Freedom)
Freedom for my body (Freedom, freedom, ooh)
Freedom for my mind (Freedom)
(Oh, no, oh-oh, oh-oh, yeah)
(Freedom)
Freedom for my body
Freedom for my mind
(Freedom)
Freedom for my spirit
(Oh, sister)
[Verse 3: Pebbles, LaTocha Scott of Xscape, Edie-May Grant of E.V.E., Miss Jones, (Nicci Gilbert of Brownstone)]
All this time you been tellin' us these lies
But now we finally figured out your game
You thought that we would never wise up
(But we showed you how a Black female can do her thing)
[Verse 4: Karyn White, Tanya Blount, Ensemble, Miss Jones]
(Aah-ooh)
But, still you continue to keep us oppressed
(Aah-ooh)
But no, we ain't goin' out like that, oh no, no
(Aah-ooh)
All these lies and all this propaganda
You want us to take
(Aah-ooh)
We're gonna take out
(You gotta sing)
[Chorus: Ensemble, Tanya Blount, Miss Jones, Amel Larrieux]
(Freedom)
Freedom for my body (Freedom for my body)
Freedom for my mind (Freedom for my mind, mind, mind)
Freedom for my spirit (For my spirit)
Freedom for my body (Freedom for my body)
Freedom for my mind (Freedom for my heart and my mind and my freedom for my soul)
Freedom for my spirit
[Verse 5: N'Dea Davenport, Milira, Monica, Ensemble]
I see the fear in your eyes
Surprise, your cover's been blown
(Aah-ooh)
I know just who I am and what I wanna do
(Aah-ooh)
I can make you run
Make you hide from all your ancestors' transgression
That you hold inside
[Verse 6: Queen Latifah, Meshell Ndegeocello, Joi, Ensemble:]
Sisters rising up and seeing that our time is here
(Aah-ooh)
We're taking back what's been ours for years
(Aah-ooh)
Let the heaven of a sister embrace you (Yeah)
And praise some other gods
All these lies and all this propaganda (Aah-ooh)
You want us to take
We're gonna take our
[Vamp: En Vogue, Jamecia, Chantay Savage, Ensemble]
(Freedom, freedom)
Free-free-free, freedom (Freedom, oh, oh yeah)
Freedom, ooooooh, bop!
(Freedom, freedom)
Free-free-free, freedom (Freedom for my body, freedom for my mind, yeah)
Freedom, ooooooh, bop! (Freedom for my spirit)
[Outro: En Vogue, Milira, Jamecia, Ensemble]
(Freedom, freedom, freedom)
Free-free-free, freedom (Aah, freedom!)
Freedom, ooooooh (Oh-oh, oh, oh, yeah)
(scatting)
Bop!
Free-free-free, freedom
Freedom, ooooooh
Freedom for my mind
Freedom for my body
Freedom for my mind
Freedom for my body (Freedom for my mind)
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