Society's Child (Baby I've Been Thinking) - Janis Ian

Come to my door, baby

Face is clean and shining black as night

My mother went to answer you know

That you looked so fine

Now I could understand your tears and your shame

She called you «boy» instead of your name

When she wouldn’t let you inside

When she turned and said

«But honey, he’s not our kind.»

She says I can’t see you any more, baby

Can’t see you anymore

Walk me down to school, baby

Everybody’s acting deaf and blind

Until they turn and say, «Why don’t you stick to your own kind.»

My teachers all laugh, their smirking stares

Cutting deep down in our affairs

Preachers of equality

Think they believe it, then why won’t they just let us be?

They say I can’t see you anymore baby

Can’t see you anymore

One of these days I’m gonna stop my listening

Gonna raise my head up high

One of these days I’m gonna raise my glistening wings and fly

But that day will have to wait for a while

Baby I’m only society’s child

When we’re older things may change

But for now this is the way, they must remain

I say I can’t see you anymore baby

Can’t see you anymore

No, I won’t see you anymore, baby