All Of The Women (Dim Star Remix) – Allison Russell (feat. Sa-Roc)

She’s been a fixture as long as I’ve lived here
On the corner most every night for the last six years
When she’s not there, when she’s not there
When she’s not there, I worry about her
Worry about her, think of all of the women
All of the women, all of the women
Who disappear, who disappear

We’ve made friendly acquaintance, sometimes we talk
She likes the way that I smile and sing as I walk
I like her fabulous outfits, the proud way she moves
She says, “I used to be a dancer, some grace you don’t lose
Some grace you don’t lose”

I made some choices, some were made for me
For the way I survive I make no apology
Everybody and somebody don’t always meet up
I’m the salvation for those left without
For those left without, living small lies
What I provide can’t be measured in nickels and dimes
In nickels and dimes

I ask, “What about the bad dates, don’t you ever get scared?”
“Well I’ve had my share, honey, but it’s fear I can bear
It’s fear I can bear
‘Cause I’m stronger than eggshells, I’m tougher than luck
Never been despised so much or hit so hard, or hit so hard
I couldn’t get back up (couldn’t get back up)
I couldn’t get back up (couldn’t get back up)
I couldn’t get back up

Yeah
Who writes the poems for these spirits we mourn?
Shadow women long remembered donned ephemeral form
The backbone of great nations, ancient kingdoms reborn
Made to sacrifice too often, crown of splintery thorns
Lay on this heavy head, skin tough like boulders of Gibraltar
Same ones that oppose her magic come and worship at the altar
Salt of the earth you walk over, gold lining your coffers
What you think? You can’t erase the ink outlining your culture
Of your anthology, substance to your Iliad
The heartbeat pulse just like a percussion within the temples of my familiar
Mary Magdalene and Yemayah, the path to your deliverance
Sacred gospel drowned and deafened by these charlatans and demagogues
We gon’ ride for ’em, start a fire in the meantime
They keep discarding the light workers and the sight deprived keep leading the blind
Truth told, for every daughter gone there’s a mother left with a bleeding vine
Cold-blooded try to bury our seeds but a bloom emerge every spring time, let’s go

All of the women (All of the women)
All of the women (All of the women)
All of the women (All of the women)
All of the women (All of the women)
All of the women (All of the women)
All of the women (All of the women)
Who disappear
Who disappear
Disappear
Disappear
Disappear
Disappear
Disappear