Eat or Be Eaten

Lyrics

Verse 1
Boots on gravel, blood on the fence
Mama said, "Boy, you learned too young"
Old town raised me on hard-eyed men
And a knife in the dark when the moon came up

I seen fists fly at the corner store
Seen friends turn wolves for a pocket full
Every day out here, you fight some more
Every breath like a bullet in your skull

Pre-Chorus
Keep my head low
Keep my name clean
But the whole damn block
Been trying to eat me

(hold on, brother)
(hold on, brother)

Chorus
Eat or be eaten
That's the law
Eat or be eaten
Or you fall

Eat or be eaten
I bite back now
Eat or be eaten
I don't bow

Verse 2
Had an older brother, wore that red
Liked them late-night runs with the dead-end crowd
Then the gang boys came and spoke in lead
Said, "Prove your love, make your little one proud"

Told to cut my eye, bring it in their hands
Said my blood was cheap and my tears were free
He stood there shaking with his own damn fear
Then he marked my face and he ran from me

Now I wear that scar like a burning hymn
Now I hear his name when the wind cuts through
He thought I'd break, thought I'd die with him
Now I'm on his trail with a cold-eyed truth

Pre-Chorus
Keep my head low
Keep my name clean
But the whole damn block
Been trying to eat me

(hold on, brother)
(hold on, brother)

Chorus
Eat or be eaten
That's the law
Eat or be eaten
Or you fall

Eat or be eaten
I bite back now
Eat or be eaten
I don't bow

Bridge
I seen him in the dust by the county line
Saw that guilt run deep in his face
He said, "Little brother, I lost my mind"
I said, "You sold mine for a place"

(oh, brother)
(oh, brother)

Final Chorus
Eat or be eaten
That's the law
Eat or be eaten
Or you fall

Eat or be eaten
I bite back now
Eat or be eaten
I don't bow

Eat or be eaten
Hear me plain
Eat or be eaten
I took the pain

(hold on, brother)
(hold on, brother)