The SONG Project Lyrics

Take the Time to Listen – (Written with women at Thea Bowman Women’s Center)

Everyone has a past
Each different in many ways
Heart and mind free at last
To try new things in a new day

Please take the time to listen for life strength and cure
For the cure of life is knowing we’re not alone
We’re fighting for a reason
There’s hope faith and love
We know the road is tough but we’re not walking alone

You have to live to learn
Make mistakes to have what it takes
To fight the system that never gives us a break
I know it’s hard but we have what it takes

Please take the time to listen for life strength and cure
For the cure of life is knowing we’re not alone
We’re fighting for a reason
There’s hope faith and love
We know the road is tough but we’re not walking alone

We’re fighting to free ourselves from madness
To not be empty shells
Fighting for our children
So that generations can prevail
We’re fighting to see another day
Fighting to get to a better place
We learn lessons along the way
We achieve greatness every day

Please take the time to listen for life strength and cure
For the cure of life is knowing we’re not alone
We’re fighting for a reason
There’s hope faith and love
We know the road is tough but we’re not walking alone

Please take the time to listen for life strength and cure
For the cure of life is knowing we’re not alone
We’re fighting for a reason
There’s hope faith and love
We know the road is tough but we’re not walking alone

Together We Can Find a Way – (Written with women at The Women’s Center)

When we were little girls they told us who we ought to be
Our voices should be quiet and our goal humility
We should only do for others and never for ourselves
And put all of our dreams upon the shelves

But now,
Let’s speak out, speak up
Tell others what we need
We have a voice for all to hear
A voice that shall be freed
Let’s listen to each other and
Respect each other’s lives
Together we can find a way

We thought we were the only ones, we thought we were alone
We hid our needs far down inside, and so ourselves disowned
The road ahead looked dim and dark; we didn’t know the way
We could not make our world come out okay

Let’s speak out, speak up
Tell others what we need
We have a voice for all to hear
A voice that shall be freed
Let’s listen to each other and
Respect each other’s lives
Together we can find a way

But then we found that other women shared our pain and doubt
It was so nice to open up and help each other out
So now we know we aren’t alone, our sisters are here too
We are women helping women, through and through

And so,
Let’s speak out, speak up
Tell others what we need
We have a voice for all to hear
A voice that shall be freed
Let’s look out, look around
And sing our Women’s pride!
Together we can find a way

Real Men Don’t Pay for Women – (Written with women at Amirah)

I remember what’s it’s like to be in that trap, the feelings coming back
Sitting naked in the shower, washing away what you brought upon me
I’m not sure if I can trust you because of what I’ve been through, I feel so ugly inside
I was praying to God that you, you’ll never come back

What kind of man would sell a girl for a profit
Taking my soul and putting it right in his pocket
When will they grow up
They need some self-love
Real men don’t pay for women

When am I gonna wake up from this nightmare, does anyone care
So ashamed of my past, I’ve got to move on, Will this feeling ever pass
I pray for the day I don’t feel stuck, I sold my soul, can I ever get it back
Why do I feel so alone, I just want to go home

What kind of man would sell a girl for a profit
Taking my soul and putting it right in his pocket
When will they grow up
They need some self-love
Real men don’t pay for women

Is God hear for me
Can he hear my cry
I feel so dead inside but I’m still alive
Someone rip my price tag off
Reach out and take my hand
Please help me break free from my pimp’s demands
Cause what I am is not who I am
I know there’s wisdom in your plans
Please God grant me a second chance
It’s all in your hands

What kind of man would sell a girl for a profit
Taking my soul and putting it right in his pocket
When will they grow up
They need some self-love
Real men don’t pay for women

Risin’ Up – (Written with women at Amirah) 

Falling on the sidewalk, crawling on the sidewalk, fading into the ground
One person who’s making life tough
Not easy to get rid of all these negative feelings
My life was too hard, not only for me but everyone
Alone, lost, fading, a ghost in the dark
Anxiety, trauma connected to drama
Watch out this journey is connected to karma

I’m risin’ up, risin’ up, risin’ up
Pickin’ myself back up
I’m not gonna fall again, fall again
Pickin’ myself back up
This is my journey, my journey

Searchin’ for the vict’ry, learning to be loved, standing on my own two feet
I’ll cast on Him my every care
Strong, phenomenal, powerful is now what I become
Risin’ up, overcoming sadness and shame
How must it feel to walk down the sidewalk without fear
Determination, striving to reach my goals
I’m movin’ on, filling my void, and now I’m whole.

I’m risin’ up, risin’ up, risin’ up
Pickin’ myself back up
I’m not gonna fall again, fall again
Pickin’ myself back up
This is my journey, my journey

Letting go of our past
Suffering through our journey
Breaking free at last
We are women of worth
Together we can end modern slavery

I’m risin’ up, risin’ up, risin’ up
Pickin’ myself back up
I’m not gonna fall again, fall again
Pickin’ myself back up
This is my journey, my journey

I Remember You – (Louis D. Brown Peace Institute Song)

Blessed because of your creation
My guidance for positive vibrations
Hearing the blue jays call or see them flutter by
We still remember you, We still remember you
I still remember you

Our loved one had to go
But the love is here, I know
Is here to stay
Your love will never go
How Can I breathe this air
Missing you my dear

Look to the sky where peace abounds
Open your heart, there love will be found
Embrace your memories, keeping them alive
Lift up and fly, Lift up and fly
Lift up and fly, Lift up and fly

Our loved one had to go
But the love is here, I know
Is here to stay
Your love will never go
How Can I breathe this air
Missing you my dear

Never Be The Same – (By Roxbury Youthworks GIFT girls) 

You know my name, not my story
You’ve heard what I’ve done, not what’s been done to me
Try walkin’ a mile in my shoes, you’ll fall the first step

You don’t understand my pain
Through everything, who’s to blame
No one but myself
It’s been 17 years of nothing but hell

I fell too many times
I know I’ll never be the same
All my mistakes are left like a stain
Every single one is like a drop of rain
I call it window pain
It’s my brain

I’m laughing at the world and everything around
Our footsteps will gradually take place
In this world full of pain
With the chaos and blame
I know I’ll never be the same

The beauty within her has been shaded to be as black as charcoal
The diamonds in her eyes, they no longer sparkle
So she walks through life like she no longer has a soul
She wanted to be loved so her body paid the toll

I’m laughing at the world and everything around
Our footsteps will gradually take place
In this world full of pain
With the chaos and blame
I know I’ll never be the same

Her tears and pain are more than insane
The tears make a puddle while the pain cuddles
Her body, her life, breaking down every night
My steps are dark even with a little spark
Your ears would bleed when she tells you about her life
The tears don’t matter, she’s about to die
From the pain and the sorrow that people cause today and tomorrow
I’m leaving the hurt, stabbed by the fork

I’m laughing at the world and everything around
Our footsteps will gradually take place
In this world full of pain
With the chaos and blame
I know I’ll never be the same

The lies that live inside of her have died
No one seems to stay ‘cause the love wasn’t true
She can’t hide the pain, laughing at the fakes
Cause of them she walks with her head down, hiding in fear
As Tupac would say, keep your head up
Waiting for tomorrow to come, hoping for a better day
Praying for someone to protect her in this world full of pain

Everyone is looking down on me
The hurt was disguised with smiles
Wishing I could go back to see why it was my life that ain’t so easy
I gave you all I had and so much more
I opened my eyes and now I’m walking out the door

A double life is what she lives
Wishin’ she could tell the truth
No where to get help so she returned to what she knew
But the people weren’t the same
Wanting out but wandering if she should stay

I’m laughing at the world and everything around
Our footsteps will gradually take place
In this world full of pain
With the chaos and blame
I know I’ll never be the same
I know I’ll never be the same

Alice Abalo’s Song

Living in the village when the rebels came
Abducted, leaving my parents with sorrow
Thinking I will not come back
Fearful to escape, told I will be killed

Where’s Hope, Where’s Peace
Where’s Hope, Where’s Peace
Where’s Hope

Walking in the bush carrying heavy loads
If you are tired you must keep quiet
Walking a long distance a day
Leaving the load, told I will be killed

Where’s Hope, Where’s Peace
Where’s Hope, Where’s Peace
Where’s Hope

Escaping the bush, finding my parents
Happiness made them cry
Finding them I was happy
We are all alive, Alive

Where’s Hope, Where’s Peace
Where’s Hope, Where’s Peace
Where’s Hope
Where’s Hope

Hear My Cry – Rosemary Amony’s Song

God hear my cry
I am suffering a lot
My man is not caring
Insulting me everyday
He does not love me with his heart

Challenges in my life
I’m a young mother
Didn’t expect it to be like this
Stopped education
Followed the man of my child
Found he treats me bad

God hear my cry
I am suffering a lot
My man is not caring
Insulting me everyday
He does not love me with his heart

Challenges in my life
Found in a hard moment
Needing to start my own life
Leaving my husband
He has no rights on me
God open a way

God hear my cry
I am suffering a lot
My man is not caring
Insulting me everyday
He does not love me with his heart

Why Me – Cristine Akello’s Song

Lord change my life I pray
Please Father change my condition
You took away my parents
Brought me into painful times
For this suffering made me poor

Why me Lord
Am I not your daughter
I believe you’re my Creator
Why me

Rebels took me in the bush
Forcing me to kill people
My mind was flashing back
Carrying very heavy loads
For this suffering brings me pain

Why only me Lord
Am I not your daughter
I believe you’re my Creator
Why me

I escape the bush
Walking home by foot to the IDP camp
I escape the bush
Praising God, praying for help in the camp

Why Only me Lord
Am I not your daughter
I believe you’re my Creator
Why me

Rosemary Amony’s Song

Fourteen and taken away
Forced to be a slave to unwanted pain
I got a baby and it wasn’t my will
My education also failed
I stayed strong, praying for another way

I know I’m saved
I have hope
Don’t have to be a fighter anymore
I believe I have hope
I have hope

Sixteen and now I’ve escaped
Back to my village and I’m embraced
My parents love was still alive
My baby was also loved
I know God really hears my prayers

I know I’m saved
I have hope
Don’t have to be a fighter anymore
I believe I have hope
I have hope

I know I’m saved
I have hope
I’m a fighter for a difference cause
I believe I have hope
I have hope
Oh hope, hope, hope