Blood On the Leaves

Lyrics

[Produced by TNGHT, Kanye West, Mike Dean, Arca, Carlos "6 July" Broady, and 88 Keys] [Intro: Nina Simone] Strange fruit hangin' from the poplar trees Blood on the leaves [Verse 1: Kanye West & Nina Simone] I just need to clear my mind now It's been racin' since the summertime (Freeze) Now I'm holdin' down the summer now (Freeze) And all I want is what I can't buy now (Blood on the leaves) 'Cause I ain't got the money on me right now And I told you to wait (Freeze) Yeah, I told you to wait (Freeze) So I'ma need a little more time now (Blood on the leaves) 'Cause I ain't got the money on me right now And I thought you could wait (Freeze) Yeah, I thought you could wait (Freeze) These bitches surroundin' me (Black bodies) All want something out me (Swinging in the southern breeze) Then they talk about me (Freeze) Would be lost without me We could've been somebody (Strange fruit hangin') Thought you'd be different 'bout it (From the poplar trees) Now I know you not it (From the poplar trees) So let's get on with it [Chorus: Kanye West] We could've been somebody 'Stead, you had to tell somebody Let's take it back to the first party When you tried your first molly And came out of your body And came out of your body [Post-Chorus: Kanye West & Nina Simone] Running naked down the lobby And you were screamin' that you love me Before the limelight tore you Before the limelight stole you Remember we were so young When I would hold you (Black bodies) [Bridge: Kanye West & Nina Simone] Before the blood on the leaves (Swinging in the southern breeze) (Freeze) I know there ain't wrong with me (Strange fruit hangin') Something strange is happenin' (From the poplar trees) Uh, uh, ayy, ayy (From the poplar trees) [Chorus: Kanye West] You could've been somebody We could've, uh, we could've been somebody Or was it on the first party When we tried our first molly? And came out of our body And came out of our body, yeah [Post-Chorus: Kanye West] Before they call lawyers Before you tried to destroy us How you gon' lie to the lawyer? It's like I don't even know you I gotta bring it back to the 'Nolia [Interlude: Kanye West & Nina Simone] Fuck them other niggas, 'cause I'm down with my niggas (Black bodies) Fuck them other niggas, 'cause I'm down with my niggas (Swinging in the southern breeze) Fuck them other niggas, 'cause I'm down with my niggas (Freeze) I ride with my niggas, I'd die for my— [Bridge: Kanye West & Nina Simone] Uh (Strange fruit hangin') Uh, on the southern leaves (From the poplar trees) (From the poplar trees) [Verse 2: Kanye West] To all my second-string bitches tryna get a baby Tryna get a baby? Now you talkin' crazy I don't give a damn if you used to talk to JAY-Z He ain't with you, he with Beyoncé, you need to stop actin' lazy She Instagram herself, like, "Bad bitch alert" He Instagram his watch, like, "Mad rich alert" He only wanna see that ass in reverse Two-thousand-dollar bag with no cash in your purse Now you sittin' courtside, wifey on the other side Gotta keep 'em separated, I call that apartheid Then she said she pregnant-ated, that's the night your heart died Then you gotta go and tell your girl and report that Main reason 'cause your pastor said you can't abort that Now your driver say that new Benz, you can't afford that All that cocaine on the table, you can't snort that That go into that, all that money that the court got All in on that alimony, uh Yeah-yeah, she got you, homie, yeah 'Til death, but do your part, uh Unholy matrimony [Bridge: Nina Simone] Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze Freeze Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees From the poplar trees [Outro: Kanye West & Nina Simone] That summer night, holdin' long and long (Freeze) 'Din long (Freeze) No waiting for the summer rose and breeze (Blood on the leaves) And breathe, (Freeze) And breathe and breathe (Blood on the leaves) And breathe and breathe (Freeze, freeze) And breathe and breathe (Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze) And live and learn, and live and learn (Strange fruit hangin') And livin' and livin' like I'm lonely (From the poplar trees) Lonely, lonely, lonely (From the poplar trees) And livin' lonely And live and learn (Freeze, freeze) And live (Blood on the leaves) And live (Freeze, freeze) Blood on the leaves Freeze, freeze