A disastrous night goes down
where human misery is embraced
and the dreams behind cold walls
no longer can't be dreamt on
The cries of the ghetto
misused, mistreated for years
painfully rooted in American history
wielding torches, rampagin' through blood-soaked streets
Suddenly the seed has come up
cultivated witfi violence and joblessness
increasing inflation and ranklin' hate
has been vented in boilin' outrage
An old woman crouches stealthily in the shade
with frozen eyes amid her furrowed face
silently whimperin' for the death of two sons
slaughtered in the cruel war of the races
It could be a long hot summer
with a lotta lootin1, a lotta shootin', a lotta killin'
ghettos in flames, children of scorn
"Burn, baby, burn!”
Double standard of justice and discrimination
brings about crimes committed by the Welfare Class
white repression triggers riotin1
you can't expect the blacks to be quiet and starve to death
But how far will it take you guys
if somebody gets killed or hurt
while others, who could be blamed for your fate
still make their money behind polished desks
You must break down racial barriers
tear down lagged apartments
don't legalize police brutality
under which the poor are sufferin’ most
The voices to cool the anger, to plead for brotherhood
they were shouted down, but what are they gonna do
tomorrow
when the times are gonna get harder
where human misery is embraced
and the dreams behind cold walls
no longer can't be dreamt on
The cries of the ghetto
misused, mistreated for years
painfully rooted in American history
wielding torches, rampagin' through blood-soaked streets
Suddenly the seed has come up
cultivated witfi violence and joblessness
increasing inflation and ranklin' hate
has been vented in boilin' outrage
An old woman crouches stealthily in the shade
with frozen eyes amid her furrowed face
silently whimperin' for the death of two sons
slaughtered in the cruel war of the races
It could be a long hot summer
with a lotta lootin1, a lotta shootin', a lotta killin'
ghettos in flames, children of scorn
"Burn, baby, burn!”
Double standard of justice and discrimination
brings about crimes committed by the Welfare Class
white repression triggers riotin1
you can't expect the blacks to be quiet and starve to death
But how far will it take you guys
if somebody gets killed or hurt
while others, who could be blamed for your fate
still make their money behind polished desks
You must break down racial barriers
tear down lagged apartments
don't legalize police brutality
under which the poor are sufferin’ most
The voices to cool the anger, to plead for brotherhood
they were shouted down, but what are they gonna do
tomorrow
when the times are gonna get harder
Contributed by Alessandro - 2010/1/28 - 13:32
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Album “Times Are Gonna Get Harder”, Folkways Records