Oh the people

Dark brown shades of my skin

Only add color to my tears

That splash against my hollow bones

That rocks my soul

Looking back over my false

Dreams that I once knew

Wondering why my dreams

Never came true hoo

Somebody tell me uh what can I do

Oh yeah something is holding me back

Holding me back

Is it because I'm black

Yeah in this world of no pity

I was raised in the ghetto of the city

Uh yeah momma she worked so hard

To earn every penny

Something is holding me back

Holding me back

Is it because I'm black

Is it because I'm black

Yeah something is holding me back

Is it because I'm black yeah

Tell me because of my color

Something is holding me back

Like a child steeling

His first piece of candy

That cost

Even in my corner somewhere I got lost

Uh something is holding me back

Is it because I'm black

I wanna know I wanna know yeah

Something is holding me back

Because is it because I'm black

Tell me can you see

Somebody please tell me

Is it because I'm black

Is it because of my color yeah