cardigan, a. butler

one hundred & sixty-seven

one hundred & sixty-seven, one night only

the day of elsie's one night only show in new york had finally arrived and the girl was sat on the stage in madison square garden as she sound checked a few of her songs that she'd be performing tonight.

for elsie, tonight was a test to see if she was emotionally ready to go on a world tour after what had happened on her last tour.

she was doing almost back to back shows every week and she knew it was going to be a lot on her body and mind but with austin there every night on her tour, she knew she'd be fine.

"okay, let's run the man." elsie said into the mic as her dancers got into position before the keys to the familiar song began to play throughout the stadium.

"i would be complex, i would be cool. they'd say i played the field before i found someone to commit to.

and that would be okay for me to do. every conquest i had made would make me more of a boss to you." elsie sang as she danced with her dancers.

"i'd be a fearless leader, i'd be an alpha type. when everyone believes ya, what's that like?" elsie sang as she turned to her girl dancers and shrugged with them.

"i'm so sick of running as fast as i can, wondering if i'd get there quicker if i was a man?

and i'm so sick of them coming at me again, 'cause if i was a man, then i'd be the man.

i'd be the man, i'd be the man." elsie sang as she strutted down the stage.

"they'd say i hustled, put in the work. they wouldn't shake their heads and question how much of this i deserve.

what i was wearing, if i was rude. could all be separated from my good ideas and power moves." elsie turned to her male dancers and flexed her bicep with them.

"and they would toast to me, oh, let the players play. i'd be just like leo in saint-tropez." elsie leaned against her male dancers as they began to cheer her on.

"i'm so sick of running as fast as i can, wondering if i'd get there quicker if i was a man.

and i'm so sick of them coming at me again, 'cause if i was a man, then i'd be the man.

i'd be the man, i'd be the man." elsie sang as she pointed to herself while she skipped up the stage with her dancers.

"what's it like to brag about raking in dollars and getting bitches and models? and it's all good if you're bad and it's okay if you're mad.

if i was out flashing my dollars, i'd be a bitch, not a baller. they'd paint me out to be bad, so, it's okay that i'm mad." elsie sang as her male dancers froze in place.

"i'm so sick of running as fast as i can, wondering if i'd get there quicker if i was a man (you know that).

and i'm so sick of them coming at me again (coming at me again). 'cause if i was a man (if i was a man) then i'd be the man (then i'd be the man).

i'm so sick of running as fast as i can (as fast as i can), wondering if i'd get there quicker if i was a man (hey).

and i'm so sick of them coming at me again (coming at me again). 'cause if i was a man (if i was a man), then i'd be the man.

i'd be the man, i'd be the man (oh).

i'd be the man (yeah).

i'd be the man (i'd be the man).

if i was a man, then i'd be the man." elsie sang before posing with her dancers at the end of the stage.

"that was good! eat and rest for the show later!" roxanne announced as everyone moved from their poses.