You may write me down in history
(You may write me down in history)
With your bitter, twisted lies
(With your bitter, twisted lies)
You may trod me
(You may trod me)
In the very dirt
(In the very dirt)
But still, like dust
(But still, like dust, I'll rise)
I'll rise
Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom? (Why are you beset with gloom?)
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room (just like moons)
Just like moons (just like moons)
And like suns (and like suns)
With the certainty of tides (just like hopes)
Just like hopes (springing high)
Springing high
Still I'll rise (still I'll rise)
(Did you want to see me broken?)
Did you want to see me broken? (Bowed head)
Bowed head and lowered eyes? (And lowered eyes)
Shoulders falling down like teardrops
Weakened by my soulful cries (by my soulful cries)
Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard (don't you take it awful hard)
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard
(You may shoot me with your words)
You may shoot me with your words (you may cut me with your eyes)
You may cut me with your eyes (you may kill me with your hatefulness)
You may kill me with your hatefulness
But still, like life, I'll rise
Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs? (I rise)
Out of the huts of history's shame (I rise)
Up from a past that's rooted in pain (I rise)
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide (I rise)
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide (I rise)
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear (I rise)
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear (I rise)
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave (I rise)
I am the hope and the dream of the slave (I rise)
Still I rise (I rise)
I rise (I rise)
Just like moons (I rise)
And like suns (I rise)
Still I rise (I rise)
I rise (I rise)
Don't try to keep me down (I rise)
I'll come back around (I rise)
I-I-I-I-I (I rise)
(I rise)
I rise