Wait My Turn Lyrics

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.