The Cells That Will Not Die

Henrietta Lacks died in '51 Of cancer so exotic that they saved some Culture in a dish Every day doubling in size Spreading and contaminating Henrietta is still alive We are the cells We are the cells We are the cells That will not die (repeat) Living proof That everything you know Might be wrong Flask to countertop To other bio labs Henrietta overpowers Cultures everywhere All the way to China Back through Russia To Johns Hopkins U Years of research ruined Didn't know They used the wrong tissue We are the cells We are the cells We are the cells That will not die Trait that is most poisonous In a rock star ego scientist Never, ever admit you're wrong Cover up, intimidate Like junkies in denial The world is flat And it ain't getting warm No no no no no no no no no Kuz then Loss of power Loss of funds Must protect reputation Hide mistakes Do not correct That's how Henrietta spreads Flesh-eating bacteria Hantavirus, AIDS, ebola Festers in me Like mad cow Where is Henrietta now? We are the cells We are the cells We are the cells That will not die How much of what we rely on Is based on faulty research that's Wrong Wrong WRONG