Some 15-year-old kid sits on his porch, just half-past noon

Trying to figure out just what he's doing

Why he had to grow up so soon

With all the gangs, all the guns, what you're gonna learn in school?

There's got to be some way out of here

He says, "Man, this life is cruel."

I used to know this Puerto Rican girl who lied to change her life

She changed her name

Her face because the grass looked greener on the other side

She turned her back, she ran away straight into the night

Her friends, her family feel the pain, but she's the one who cries

Tell me what you want

Tell me what you need

I want everything

I've had enough of having nothing, I won't take just anything

I got my mind set on something, all I want is everything

It's my life, mister. I ain't running. I'm no puppet on a string

I want more than I see coming

All I want is everything

All I want is everything

My next-door neighbor Donnie

Died in his room just the other day

His brother come home

Found him dead on the floor with a needle in his vein

Cops come down with a body bag

They said Donnie was a casualty

I said, all it's about is the boy checked out

He couldn't handle reality

Tell me what you want

Tell me what you need

I want everything

I've had enough of having nothing, I won't take just anything

I got my mind set on something, all I want is everything

It's my life, mister. I ain't running. I'm no puppet on a string

I want more than I see coming

All I want is everything

All I want is everything