softly, he said

it amuses me that i became freakishly obsessed with this song at the beginning of women's history month (without realising it was said month), because it's about domestic abuse and is surprisingly sympathetic to women in it. i'm amazed that, being raised by a whole family who used to make me up like alice cooper when i was like...3... that i never heard this song before. it's beautiful, and intense. it's not at all what i'm used to expecting from alice cooper. i also think the stage actions on this version of it make the song even more intense, the "prop" woman and the way he alternates between being lovingly gentle towards her, sometimes incredibly posessive, and then at one point actively abusive. just...damn.

man got his woman to take his seed
he got the power - oh, she got the need.
she spends her life through pleasing up her man
she feeds him dinner or anything she can.

she cries alone at night too often.
he smokes and drinks and don't come home at all...
only women bleed.
only women bleed.
only women bleed.

man makes your hair gray, he's your life's mistake
all you're really lookin' for is an even break.
he lies right at you, you know you hate this game
he slaps you once in a while and you live and love in pain.

she cries alone at night too often.
he smokes and drinks and don't come home at all...
only women bleed.

man got his woman to take his seed
he got the power - oh, she got the need
she spends her life through pleasing up her man
she feeds him dinner or anything she can

she cries alone at night too often.
he smokes and drinks and don't come home at all...
only women bleed.

black eyes all of the time
don't spend a dime
clean up this grime
and you there down on your knees begging me please
come watch me bleed

only women bleed.