When I was a little girl
they used to call me Sassafrass
and give me all kinds of trouble
about how I’d swish my little ass.

They told me I was prissy
and did it all for show.
What they didn’t know,
what they couldn’t see through
was me just bein’ myself
the only way I knew.

What they called Sassafrass
was me just bein’ natural,
but tryin’ to do it feelin’ first class.

I got smart, got tired
of hearin’ about the show,
I learned not to be my self
’cause it bothered them so,
I just practiced bein’ their self
wherever I’d go.

But I got tired of that too.
Bein’ somebody else’s self
just made me feel blue.

I stopped bein’ what they wanted
stopped worryin’ about the show,
’cause bein’ what they wanted
just made me feel plain.
So when I want to feel good
I just live up to my name.

When I want to be my self
and do it feelin’ first class,
I just go ahead and do it,
do it like Sassafrass.