Ho Down

Chorus:
That's what I want
That's what I need
That's what I want
Ho-down

She sprays her lies around her like the clouds release the rain
And endless stream of promises that vaporize again
Remember last Tuesday when you said it was the end
You caught her in your Nissan getting funky with your best friend
She will never change till her flesh is under dirt
But then at least she's hangin' with neighbors she deserves
Forgive me if I seem to sound a little on the loose
But I cannot pour sugar just to sweeten up the truth

I would like to wish her to a long forgotten dream
Happened early morning when I was just two or three
Everyone around who didn't quite fit in the mix
Turned and waved goodbye and disappeared without a hitch
Except my friend Billy who live just across the way
The world belonged to us forever on from that day
Until we ran into that sneaky girl from down the street
Who tried to smile so pretty stealing Billy right from me

Chorus

The world spun around her everywhere that she would go
But even my friend Billy knew that she was just a - oh no
She had such a way to twist and turn a simple truth
Told my friend Billy I had been a little loose
Then Billy took her by the arm and left me standing all along
I just had to wait there watching them do-se-do
Till Billy pushed her in the deepest darkest hole around
It was goodbye sneaky girl - ho down

I would like to wish her for her a place to somewhere far
A place in outer space to some exotic little star
A million miles away would probably suit the planet fine
Someplace where it's clear she is gone and you are mine
Or maybe some romantic little island in the sea
As far away as it is possible to be
She can have the (palm trees and the*) flowers and the wind
And I can have my baby back with me once again

Chorus

I would like to wish for her another little story
My daddy said to me when I was just a little girly
He told me 'bout a pretty graceful lovely lady bird
Who never could find a nest good enough for her
From every tree she landed in she saw one that was better
So off she went before she ever could regain her breath
Wasn't it a pity when she finally hit the ground
It was goodbye lovely birdy - ho down
Goodbye lovely birdy - ho down

* Omitted from the original demo. The original version of the song also included an additional verse after the chorus and breakdown following the line “And I can have my baby back with me once again.”:

da da da da da da da ditty dum
da da da da da da da ditty dum

i would wish for her some secret intermission
start a summer camp for all the hustle men and bitches (witches) * Paula's recording replaces "bitches" with "witches"
a playground that's made up of all her pretty little friends
she'd have so much fun she'd never come back here again

da da da da da da da ditty dum
da da da da da da da ditty dum

a perfect little world is what i guess i have described
but i just want you back with me and in my life

da da da da da da da ditty dum
da da da da da da da ditty dum
da da da da da da da ditty dum
da da da da da da da ditty dum

i would like to wish for her a little story...

Song Credits

Written by Elliot Wolff/Howie Hersh/Da' Count/Paula Abdul/Robb Boldt/Jesse Greer/Irving Mills/Cab Calloway/Clarence Gaskill

© 1995 EMI Virgin Music, Inc./Elliot Wolff Music/Sony Tunes, Inc./H-Bomb-H, Inc./Plastik Surgeons Music/P.J.A. Music (ASCAP)/RK Boldt Music/Mills Music, Inc. (BMI). All rights on behalf of Sony Tunes, Inc. & H-Bomb-H, Inc. administered by Sony Music Publishing, Nashville, TN. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

Produced by Elliot Wolff and Howie Hersh. Lead Vocal: Paula Abdul. Background Vocals: Paula Abdul, Mona Lisa Young, Cha'n Andre and Robb Boldt. Horn Arrangement: John Leftwich. Trombone: Eric Jorgensen. Trumpet: Daniel Savant, Ralf Rickert, Walter Fowler. Clarinet, Alto and Tenor Sax: Albert Wing. Tenor Sax: Cleto Escobedo and Vincent Denham. Tuba: Karl Messerschmidt. Banjo: Grant Geissman. Track by Howie Hersh. Additional Programming: Fred Owens and Iki Levy. Vocal Arrangement: Elliot Wolff. Additional Vocal Arrangement: Robb Boldt, Paula Abdul, Cha'n Andre and Da' Count. Pro Tools Editing: Iki Levy. Engineer: Thom Russo, Jr. and Charlie Paakkari. Mixed by Keith "K.C." Cohen at Larrabee.