Brown Betty Books

Lyrics

Verse 1
Noire walked in clean
big afro, straight spine
Brown Betty Books
and she clocked the whole shrine

Talented tenth
with the polished replies
double degrees flashing
like a dare in their eyes

Five-hundred-dollar shoes
on the old wood floor
she felt that old fire
she had known before

All that black gold talk
all that borrowed shine
she said, "Keep your kingdom
I don't need your line"

Pre-Chorus
But the room got quiet
when she grabbed that spine
one name on the cover
and a twist in time

Then Innocent walked in
from Côte d'Ivoire
cool hands, sharp suit
and a look from afar

Chorus
Innocent, you turned me around
Innocent, you turned me around
I said I'd never fall in
now I'm spinning now

Innocent, you turned me around
Innocent, you turned me around
I was done with the gold boys
till you came around

Verse 2
He was one of them
that's the part that stung
tailored for the table
with the silver tongue

But he didn't move loud
he just met her eyes
like he knew her anger
and he liked the fire

She said, "You in that world
I been stepping past"
he said, "Baby, I see it
and I see the mask"

Her guard went up quick
then it slipped, then bent
he spoke in soft gold truths
she didn't expect

Pre-Chorus
And the pages rustled
like they knew their name
all her old hard vows
started losing flame

He leaned in easy
like a secret door
suddenly her surety
was a little less sure

Chorus
Innocent, you turned me around
Innocent, you turned me around
I said I'd never fall in
now I'm spinning now

Innocent, you turned me around
Innocent, you turned me around
I was done with the gold boys
till you came around

Bridge
She used to draw a line
between love and class
between what looks polished
and what can last

But he wore her doubt
like a scent on skin
and the hardest part was
she liked him in it

If he's one of them
why's he feel like truth?
Why does every rule
come undone with you?

Final Chorus
Innocent, you turned me around
Innocent, you turned me around
I said I'd never fall in
now I'm spinning now

Innocent, you turned me around
Innocent, you turned me around
I was done with the gold boys
till you came around

Innocent, you turned me around
Innocent, you turned me around
Brown Betty Books
and my heart went down