Yabe - Pawis Lyrics

She's breakin' a sweat just to redo it
She's breakin' a sweat, they just abuse it
Ain't gon' change one bit
All this effort just don't sit well
Yeah, she's breaking a sweat

She workin' so hard for an immigrant
Top of her class, she done passed the requirements
Mama so proud, she's the first family graduate
But how come when she tryna find a job
She gotta start again?
Out of her siblings, she knows she's so privileged
But this diploma means nothin', just a document
When it's across the globe, it should be obvious
That all the pain she went through's worth more than an American's

But in her heart she knows that ain't true
She's living the best that she can in her youth
She kissed her little brother goodbye the last time she saw him
She hopes she can pay for him, too, but
First, she needs a steady income
Second, make sure she's keeping in touch
Third, she won't forget all the love
That her family got, and
Fourth, she prays to God but she's still

Breakin' a sweat
She tryin' her best not to fall into debt
She knows her ego ain't tubig ain't wet
But she's still fallin' behind on that Filipina time
No need to hold up
She can take care of herself, she a grown up
If she gets physical
That's how she show love
But all she sees is these privileged 20 year olds who don't grow up

She's breakin' a sweat just to redo it
She's breakin' a sweat, they just abuse it
Ain't gon' change one bit
All this effort just don't sit well
Yeah, she's breaking a sweat

She livin' her life like she lovin' it
Yeah, she workin' hard, but her pay ain't cutting it
And all her friends stick they nose in her business
Askin' where she from, is she single, and who she visitin'
She knows there's somethin' wrong with the whole team
Made 'nough bank, moved west side, long beach
SoCal's not so bad, said it's cozy
If only she could get past this feelin' lonely

Back at work, chismoso in the workplace
Back talk, smack talk, rumors ruin solace
Then comes me, white male in my 30s
Cat callin', hopin' I can get some of that
Fetishizin' cuz she look exotic
Shallow with the culture, I don't want it
Next thing you know, she's the whole office topic
All the rumors ruined her career, now she rockbottom so

First, she takes a break from her job
Second, she gets a call from her mom
Third, I heard what happened, anak, you ok?
You should move back, we miss you, it's not too late, OOF
Your little brother's already in high school
And your papa's still stuck in the ICU
Fourth, she knows she needs a vacation
But she won't give up bein' American Asian

Her papa's last words to her
"Manalig ka sa Diyos"
"Keep trusting God, it'll work"
"Magtiwala ka sa Panginoon"
Because all we have is each other
So we gotta care for another
We all break a sweat to live better
So don't go and try makin' someone's life worse

She's breakin' a sweat just to redo it
She's breakin' a sweat, they just abuse it
Ain't gon change one bit
All this effort just don't sit well
Yeah, she's breaking a sweat