Ani DiFranco
Play God [live]
Ani DiFranco's new album, Binary, will be released in 2017.
'Play God' is a song that recognizes reproductive freedom as a civil rights issue. As a society, it is time to acknowledge that unless a woman is in control of her own reproduction, she is not free, and it is the responsibility of our American government to protect and ensure the freedom of all American citizens. It is time we get serious about addressing and achieving this great unfinished business of civil rights in America. Only a constitutional amendment can ultimately save us from the whim of misogynists like Trump who have a vision of women as sexual objects and reproductive slaves.
I was done at 16 showin up for class I was out there in the ring learnin how to kick some ass I was done at 16 using my momma's key it was all on me yes it was all on me weren't no free rides weren't no IOU's I pulled my weight I paid my dues and I showed up to enlist on the first day of recruits how bout you? how bout you I'm my brother's keeper every chance I can I pay my taxes like any working man and I feel I've earned my right to choose you don't get to play God, man I do you don't get to play God, man I do CHORUS you get to run the world in your special way you get much more much more than your say government, religion it's all just patriarchy I must insist you leave this one thing to me just one thing that a man needs to be truly free this is the modern world and that one thing is money but there are two things that a woman needs control over her own body yes I pay the price on top of everything each month a bill each month a reckoning and each seed that dies I cry and I bleed so you can't tell me no you can't tell me I am a soldier it's my blood that flows I'd give my life so that this tree can grow you don't know creation like I know so you can't tell me no you can't tell me CHORUS I'm my brother's keeper every chance I can I pay my taxes like any workin man and I feel I've earned my right to choose you don't get to play God I do you don't get to play God I do you don't get to play God I do -- Recorded live at Red Rocks on September 4, 2016