Music Video
Wait My Turn Lyrics
OST: Suffs
Song Lyrics
Wait My Turn Song Lyrics
Wait my turn, when will you white women ever learn?
I had the same old talk with Carrie Chapnickat 20 years ago.
I thought you might be better, but you still don't know.
You want me to wait my turn, to simply put my sex before my race.
Oh, why don't I leave my skin at home and powder up my face?
Guess who always waits her turn, who always ends up in the back?
Us lucky ones born both female and black.
Wait my turn, while I sure don't see you waiting yours.
There is no you're preaching, we demand it now, while knocking down locked doors.
But you want me to wait my turn, so you don't defend your southern base.
Since when does a radical lover fit bigots in the first place?
That's not leadership, Alice, it's cowardice.
I hear you quote Frederick Douglass on your soapbox,
Intending to include and impress us.
But in the press, you play down our involvement,
And here behind closed doors, you attempt to suppress us.
Deeds lock words as the button on your jacket.
I'm so sick of rhetoric with no action to back it.
If you don't have the spine to stand with us now, what will it take?
You do have a choice, there's always a choice.
Which one will you make?
Don't you dare tell me to wait my turn.
In truth, it's not your call.
Either I march with my own state delegates, or I don't march at all.
I'm not here to suit their gift, that is none of my concern.
I won't beg for your approval, which I shouldn't have to add.
So no matter what you tell me, I will not wait one more minute for my turn.
June, 12th 2024
Song Facts:
- Genre: Musical Theatre
- Lyricist: Shaina Taub & Nikki M. James
- Composers: Shaina Taub
- Musical: "Suffs"
- Released: June 6, 2024
Annotations and Meaning of Wait My Turn:
The track Wait My Turn from the musical "Suffs" explores the intersection of race and gender within the women's suffrage movement, highlighting the tension and struggles faced by Black women activists.
Wait my turn, when will you white women ever learn?
I had the same old talk with Carrie Chapnickat 20 years ago.
The song is opened by a quite literal in-the-face confrontation, an assault on the age-old racial exclusivity of the suffrage movement, where in all those historical conversations, the mentioning of Carrie Chapman Catt puts gender over race.
I thought you might be better, but you still don't know.
You want me to wait my turn, just to put my sex before my race.
The following lines express frustration and incredulity at the continued marginalizing of Black women now asked to pursue anymore first the general cause of woman suffrage within the racial equality movement.
Oh, why don't I leave my skin at home and powder up my face?
Such vivid imagery decries an unreasonable and highly offensive expectation for Black women to disregard their racial identity if they want to gain a place in the mainstream movement.
Guess who always waits her turn, who always ends up in the back?
Us lucky ones born female and black.
She points clearly at double discrimination against black women - discrimination on two accounts: race and gender.
Wait my turn, while I sure don't see you waiting yours.
There is no you're preaching; we demand it now while knocking down locked doors.
This preceding line identifies hypocrisy, telling Black women to wait while white suffragists are demanding action for themselves. It explains their urgency and immediacy of demands.
But you want me to wait my turn, so you don't defend your southern base.
Since when does a radical lover fit bigots in the first place?
That is not leadership, Alice. It is cowardice.
I hear you quote Frederick Douglass on your soapbox,
Intend to include and impress us with-
Lacking in commitment to your inclusive rhetoric, these lines act as an accusation against Alice Paul of espousing inclusive rhetoric without dedication toward that end. Move the accusing line out of quotes so it is a commentary of the previous lines.
But in public, you sadly shun our share,
And here, behind locked doors, try to shut us out.
Actions pin words like a button on your lapel.
Tired are the steps where words produce nothing to dwell.
The song rebukes the disparity between words uttered for the public and what takes place behind closed doors, calling out for practical support rather than verbiage.
If you haven't the guts to stand with us now, when will you?
You do have a choice, there's always a choice.
Which one will you make?
Hereby these lines, Alice and others are challenged finally to take a stand for something definite. It evokes the value of unity and shows what it will cost if man does not act.
You can just not tell me to wait my turn.
As it happens, it's not your call.
Either I march with my own state's people, or I don't.
I'm not here to fit their present; that's no concern of mine.
Nor shall I beg for your concession, which I needn't remind.
So whatever you say to me, I won't wait one more minute 'til my time.
Now these final lines cut loose with an absolute affirmation that won't tolerate any further excuses or alibis but takes a tone of shocking urgency and righteousness of the cause.
Shaina Taub shared the story behind "Wait My Turn," a song that has been part of Suffs since its first mini reading in January 2018. Written specifically for Nikki M. James, who inspired Taub greatly, the song reflects the character of Ida B. Wells. Since Wells was a writer, Taub crafted the lyrics to be densely verbal and nonconformist, eschewing traditional song structures.
This song was pivotal in developing the musical language of Suffs. Taub uses diminished chords throughout the score to reflect the show's theme of complex progress, which includes both joy and struggle. She also avoids placing chords over their root notes to symbolize that progress is never fully resolved.
"Wait My Turn" also marked Taub's initial venture into creative liberty with historical facts. While the encounter between Alice Paul and Ida B. Wells didn't historically occur, Taub allowed herself to imagine this interaction, adding a layer of poetic license to the narrative.
Overall, Wait My Turn emerged as an all-too-powerful and unstoppable appeal to those Black women who did not and would not stand down from their fight for suffrage.
A-Z Lyrics Universe
Track List with Lyrics
Under The Sea
Classic Disney Part Of Your World
Classic Disney Colors Of The Wind
Classic Disney Kiss The Girl
Classic Disney I'll Make a Man Out of You
Mulan We're All in This Together
High School Musical Somewhere Over The Rainbow
The Wizard Of Oz Pure Imagination
Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory Still Hurting
The Last 5 Years Almost There
Princess and the Frog
Classic Disney Part Of Your World
Classic Disney Colors Of The Wind
Classic Disney Kiss The Girl
Classic Disney I'll Make a Man Out of You
Mulan We're All in This Together
High School Musical Somewhere Over The Rainbow
The Wizard Of Oz Pure Imagination
Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory Still Hurting
The Last 5 Years Almost There
Princess and the Frog
New soundtracks
Bad Monkey
Harold and the Purple Crayon
Amici per caso
Kaulitz & Kaulitz
Twisters
Deadpool and Wolverine
Borderlands
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Despicable Me 4
Descendants: The Rise of Red
Inside Out 2
Hell's Kitchen
Suffs
Bad Boys: Ride Or Die
White Men Can't Jump
The Fall Guy
Monsters at Work: Season 2
MORE ›
Lyrics / song texts are property and copyright of their owners and provided for educational purposes only. Translation: letra, paroles, liedtexte,
songtext, testi, letras, текст песни, 歌词, كلمات الأغاني, गाने के बोल, mga titik ng kanta.