“The Bloods” is the first track off the Collective’s first, self-titled album. It was written by Debbie Lempke. The second verse of the song was inspired by an event held by a local lesbian collective house in which health workers from the women’s clinic came over with speculums and showed the women how to look inside their cervixes.

From liner notes:

This song grew out of a discussion with a friend about the pros and cons of menstruation; that historically the cons have been exploited by men to make us feel bad about our bodies, and hence, weaker.

Lyrics:

You might think it’s ludicrous

But when the moon is full I feel my uterus

And I know that the times a comin’ a comin’ soon

Some sisters get down for menstruation

Ain’t no time for sad desperation

There’s a new day comin’ when you got the bloods again

 

Because you know your body is a workin’ alright

If you had self-help you could watch all night

Get your speculum at your neighborhood clinic

Learn about your cervix and what’s in it

There’s a new day comin’ when you got the bloods again

 

If you’re feelin’ bad and you start to moan

Well don’t you hide you’re not alone

I know a time a comin’ a comin’ soon

When you’re livin’ together this i’ve found

That when the bloods come they come all the way round

There’s a new day comin’ when you got the bloods again

 

Men keep saying that the bloods are bad

‘Cause it means you ain’t fertile

That you ain’t been had

But I know a time a comin’ a comin’ soon

Men stop saying “got to sleep with ’em”

‘Cause lesbians got natural rhythm

There’s a new day comin’ when you got the bloods again