In the Dark

When he was a little boy he would dance it was such a sight
Everybody said one day he would see his name up in lights
Last Monday the man came in to turn off the electricity
Mama cried and prayed, Oh, God, she said, Help me and these babies
It was such a sad scene; so bleak and so stark
But Donte said, Mama we gon' be alright,
And started dancing in the dark

He was dancing in the dark

Now Mama she's been out of work since she lost her temp job
She's been mad and spending all her time in a Newport 100 fog
As for the reason Mama lost her job, she won't tell nobody why
But when she's in her room at night Donte wonders if that why she cries
Trouble on the streets, trouble in his head
And one night while he was out playing
He found a woman that he knew lying dead
It was such a sad scene, her eyes open, locked on the stars
He went home to tell his momma but she was too busy playing cards
So he went into his room, the pain cut sharp as a razor
But he turned on the stereo and Michael told him it was all Human Nature
He was dancing in the dark

Today he was in a fight, he got slugged in the eye, he was never very quick
But he had no choice; they said they saw his momma turning tricks
No bread on the table, no money in sight
And Mama's only happy when she was walking out the door at night

When she's dancing in the dark

Oh, street lights shine down on me
You feel like a spotlight
Does anybody see me here
I might as well disappear
Is there anyone out there
Is there anyone out there