It started in the darkness
of a downtown Philly street.
A cop was workin' over,
a kid was bein' beat.
A cabby drivin' by
slammed on his brakes
And walked into a nightmare,
and almost to his grave.
Mumia Abu-Jamal! Mumia Abu-Jamal,
Live from death row,
he's someone you should know,
Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Mumia saw his brother
was beaten on the ground.
He tried to stop the policeman
but Mumia was shot down.
When he woke up,
he was in a hospital ward,
They told him someone shot that cop,
killed him with a .44.
Mumia was a Panther
when he was a kid,
Then he fought police brutality
as a radio journalist.
Now he's up for murder,
it's a miracle, they say,
He put a .44 bullet
through the barrel of a .38.
Mumia Abu-Jamal! Mumia Abu-Jamal,
Live from death row,
he's someone you should know,
Mumia Abu-Jamal...
The system is not equal,
the system is not fair,
It's always a little fairer
if you're a millionaire.
OJ had big lawyers
to save him from disgrace.
Mumia had no money,
and so he lost his case.
Old Judge Sabo did a little dance,
As he handed down the sentence
he almost wet his pants
"Let's kill all these Mumias
and take a bite out of crime.
The streets will be much safer,
the trains will run on time!"
Mumia Abu-Jamal, Mumia Abu-Jamal,
Live from death row,
he's someone you should know,
Mumia Abu-Jamal..
They killed Sacco and Vanzetti,
and murdered the Rosenbergs.
Now they have Mumia,
and it's equally absurd.
We can win a new trial,
and when he is released,
We'll lift him on our shoulders
and carry him down the street.
Mumia Abu-Jamal! Mumia Abu-Jamal,
Live from death row,
he's someone you should know,
Mumia Abu-Jamal...
of a downtown Philly street.
A cop was workin' over,
a kid was bein' beat.
A cabby drivin' by
slammed on his brakes
And walked into a nightmare,
and almost to his grave.
Mumia Abu-Jamal! Mumia Abu-Jamal,
Live from death row,
he's someone you should know,
Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Mumia saw his brother
was beaten on the ground.
He tried to stop the policeman
but Mumia was shot down.
When he woke up,
he was in a hospital ward,
They told him someone shot that cop,
killed him with a .44.
Mumia was a Panther
when he was a kid,
Then he fought police brutality
as a radio journalist.
Now he's up for murder,
it's a miracle, they say,
He put a .44 bullet
through the barrel of a .38.
Mumia Abu-Jamal! Mumia Abu-Jamal,
Live from death row,
he's someone you should know,
Mumia Abu-Jamal...
The system is not equal,
the system is not fair,
It's always a little fairer
if you're a millionaire.
OJ had big lawyers
to save him from disgrace.
Mumia had no money,
and so he lost his case.
Old Judge Sabo did a little dance,
As he handed down the sentence
he almost wet his pants
"Let's kill all these Mumias
and take a bite out of crime.
The streets will be much safer,
the trains will run on time!"
Mumia Abu-Jamal, Mumia Abu-Jamal,
Live from death row,
he's someone you should know,
Mumia Abu-Jamal..
They killed Sacco and Vanzetti,
and murdered the Rosenbergs.
Now they have Mumia,
and it's equally absurd.
We can win a new trial,
and when he is released,
We'll lift him on our shoulders
and carry him down the street.
Mumia Abu-Jamal! Mumia Abu-Jamal,
Live from death row,
he's someone you should know,
Mumia Abu-Jamal...
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