One's educated, one has been to school
Who is the genius, who is the fool
Well, it's hard to tell one from the other
They both have all the answers

One gives a promise and the other his word
One is a teacher and the other is heard
They're both calling your name,
And the offer's the same, yeah
But only one delivers

You nurse your wounds and immerse your pain
But you still can't seem to break it down

I said, how long
(How long, how long)
How long will you suffer
Caught between the pleasure and the grief?
(Uh huh)
Uh huh
(Huh!)
How long
(How long, how long)
How long
'Til you recognize a lover from a thief?
Yeah

A loving smile and a counterfeit grin
With open arms one is taking you in
It's give and take, and your heart's at stake, well
But who's the giver and taker
(Giver and taker)

One is a lover, one would love to be
Which is the romance, and which is fantasy?
They don't give up when your mind's made up
No, no, you keep choosing over and over

You nurse your wounds and immerse your pain
But you still can't seem to break it down

I say, how long?
How long will you suffer
Caught between the pleasure and the grief?
(Uh huh)
Uh huh
How long, how long
'Til you recognize a lover from a thief?
How long, how long will you suffer
Caught between the pleasure and the grief?
(Uh huh)
Uh huh
How long, how long
'Til you recognize a lover from a thief?

Alright!

(How long!
How long, huh!
How long!)

[Martin Luther King Jr. sample]
(How long? Not long, 'cause mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!)

(How long!
How long!
How long!
How long!)

You nurse your wounds and immerse your pain
But you still can't seem to break it down

I said, how long?
How long will you suffer
Caught between the pleasure and the grief?
(Uh huh)
Uh huh
How long
(How long, how long)
How long
'Til you recognize a lover from a thief?
Yeah
How long
(How long, how long)
How long will you suffer
Caught between the pleasure and the grief?
(Uh huh)
Uh huh
(Huh!)
How long
(How long, how long)
How long
'Til you recognize a lover from a thief?
Yeah, ah
How long
(How long, how long)
How long will you suffer
Caught between the pleasure, the pleasure and the grief?
(Uh huh), huh!)
How long
(How long, how long)
How long
('Til you recognize a lover from a thief?)
A lover from a thief, uh, uh
(How long, how long
How long will you suffer
Uh huh
How long, how long will you suffer
'Til you recognize a lover from a thief?)