Whatever We Did
I lie here homesick, though I lie at home
Awake with thoughts of sweet friends
Women, grown and gone
Back when we were younger, we clung in a clique
And ran like schools of minnows
Whatever we did, whatever we did
Pretty girls dancing in the gym
Whatever we did, whatever we did
We were spinning on the South side
Whatever we did, whatever we did
Braced against Chicago’s dirty wind
Whatever we did, whatever we did
We were visions from the South side
That’s my neighborhood
We could be cruel, we could be kind
We’d be judgmental just to pass the time
Nobody’s mama had an only child
We’d lay the law through a lipstick smile
Loyal and faithful, two-faced and then
We vowed to remember, I try to forgive
Whatever we did, whatever we did
I’m looking back, I’m looking in
Whatever we did, whatever we did
We had secrets on the South side
Whatever we did, whatever we did
Might cut you off, might let you live
Whatever we did, whatever we did
I landed on the outside
That’s my neighborhood
Hometown visits are gonna drive you wild
Streets are frosted shiny blue
I tend to thing we turned out alright
But I wonder what they’ve been through
I heard some would do away with men
Some would leave home again and again
Some would chase a dream or two
Find a lover and that’s all they do
But you keep a line along the way
It all comes back to you again some day
Who stayed married, who’s got kids
There we go again
I wonder how they’ve truly been
Some would spend their nights at war
Some get hurt and go back for more
Some would find a cross to bear
Carry that burden everywhere
Me I struggle for peace of mind
Live by example, I try to be kind
I will raise a compassionate child
Lessons from the Southside
That’s my neighborhood
©1983 Sally Fingerett, Green Fingers Music, BMI