Momma please stop cryin, I can‘t stand the sound 
Your pain is painful and its tearin‘ me down 
I hear glasses breakin as I sit up in my bed 
I told dad you didn‘t mean those nasty things you said

You fight about money, bout me and my brother 
And this I come home to, this is my shelter 
It ain‘t easy growin up in World War III 
Never knowin what love could be, 
you‘ll see I don‘t want love to destroy me 
like it has done my family

Can we work it out? Can we be a family? 
I promise I‘ll be better, Mommy I‘ll do anything 
Can we work it out? Can we be a family? 
I promise I‘ll be better, Daddy please don‘t leave

Daddy please stop yellin, I can‘t stand the sound 
Make mama stop cryin, cuz I need you around 
My mama she loves you, no matter what she says 
its true I know that she hurts you, but remember I love you, too

I ran away today, ran from the noise, ran away 
Don‘t wanna go back to that place, but don‘t have no choice, no way 
It ain‘t easy growin up in World War III 
Never knowin what love could be, 
well I‘ve seen I don‘t want love to destroy me 
like it did my family

Can we work it out? Can we be a family? 
I promise I‘ll be better, Mommy I‘ll do anything 
Can we work it out? Can we be a family? 
I promise I‘ll be better, Daddy please don‘t leave

In our family portrait, we look pretty happy 
Let‘s play pretend, let‘s act like it comes naturally 
I don‘t wanna have to split the holidays 
I don‘t want two addresses I don‘t want a step-brother anyways 
And I don‘t want my mom to have to change her last name

In our family portrait we look pretty happy 
We look pretty normal, let‘s go back to that 
In our family portrait we look pretty happy 
Let‘s play pretend, act like it goes naturally

In our family portrait we look pretty happy 
(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?) 
We look pretty normal, let‘s go back to that 
(I promise I‘ll be better, Mommy I‘ll do anything)

In our family portrait we look pretty happy 
(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?) 
Let‘s play pretend act and like it comes so naturally 
(I promise I‘ll be better, Daddy please don‘t leave)

In our family portrait we look pretty happy 
(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?) 
We look pretty normal, let‘s go back to that 
I promise I‘ll be better, Daddy please don‘t leave)

Daddy don‘t leave
Daddy don‘t leave
Daddy don‘t leave
Turn around please
Remember that the night you left 
you took my shining star? 
Daddy don‘t leave
Daddy don‘t leave
Daddy don‘t leave
Don‘t leave us here alone

Mom will be nicer
I‘ll be so much better, I‘ll tell my brother 
Oh, I won‘t spill the milk at dinner 
I‘ll be so much better, I‘ll do everything right 
I‘ll be your little girl forever 
I‘ll go to sleep at night