One blue sky above us One ocean lapping all our shores One earth so green and brown Who could ask for more
And because I love you I'll give it one more try To show my rainbow race It's too soon, too soon to die It's too soon to die
Some want to be like an ostrich And bury their heads in the sand Some hope for plastic dreams To unclutch those greedy hands
Some want to take the easy way Poisons, bombs, they think we need them Don't they know you can kill all the unbelievers There's no short cut to freedom
Then because I promise I'll give it one more try To show my rainbow race It's too soon, too soon to die It's too soon to die
It's too soon to die It's too soon to die It's too soon to die It's too soon to die It's too soon to die
One blue sky above us One ocean lapping all our shores One earth so green and brown Who could ask for more
And because I love you I'll give it one more try To show my rainbow race It's too soon, too soon to die It's too soon to die
Huddie Ledbetter was a helluva man. Huddie got his music from the heart of the land. In his voice you could hear John Henry's hammering While his hands would "buck and wing" upon the big 12-string. Sometimes a lion, sometimes a lamb, Huddie Ledbetter was a helluva man.
CH0RUS He's a long time gone but his songs live on. He's a long time gone but his songs live on.
Down in Louisiana, 1888, There was a black baby born into a white man's state; He saw the cane and cotton stretch for miles around, He heard his mama's voice a-singing when the sun went down. Into a world where having dark skin was a crime, Huddie was born ? and started serving his time. CHORUS
Teenage Huddie went to Shreveport town, There he got in trouble, was jailhouse bound. The odds were slim that he would get out alive, But somehow Huddle and his music survived. He escaped just once, was put back again. He was called Leadbelly by the rest of the men. CHORUS
A collector, name a' Lomax, brought a record machine, Huddle sang 'em sweet and high, he sang 'em low and mean: For years to come, they would tell the tale Of how Huddie Ledbetter sang his way out-a jail. Sayin', "If I had you. Governor, like-a you got me. I'd awake up in the morning and I'd set you free." CHORUS
He got his farewell ticket back in '49. He caught the Midnight Special on the Rock Island Line; But I bet you when he wakened from his earthly dream He was wakened by a kiss from a gal named Irene. Now millions of people the whole world around Are taking Huddie's hammer up and swinging it down!
The water is wide, I cannot cross over, And neither have I wings to fly, Give me a boat that can carry two, And both shall row - my love and I.
A ship there was, and she sails the sea, She's loaded deep as deep can be, But not so deep as the love I'm in, And I know not how, I sink or swim.
I leaned my back up against some young oak, Thinking he was a trusty tree, But first he bended and then he broke, And thus did my false love to me.
I put my hand into some soft bush, Thinking the sweetest flower to find. I pricked my finger to the bone, And left the sweetest flower alone.
Oh, love is handsome, love is fine, Gay as a jewel, when first it is new, But love grows old, and waxes cold, And fades away, like summer dew.
The seagulls wheel, they turn and dive, The mountain stands beside the sea. This world we know turns round and round, And all for them - and you and me.
You know this language that we speak, is part German, Latin and part Greek Celtic and Arabic all in a heap, well amended by the people in the street Choctaw gave us the word "okay"; "Vamose" is a word from Mexico way. And all of this is a hint I suspect of what comes next.
Chorus: I think that this whole world Soon mama my whole wide world Soon mama my whole world Soon gonna be gettin' mixed up. Soon mama my whole world Soon mama my whole wide world Soon mama my whole world Soon gonna be gettin' mixed up.
I like Polish sausage, I like Spanish rice, and pizza pie is also nice Corn and beans from the Indians here washed down by German beer Marco Polo traveled by camel and pony, he brought to Italy, the first macaroni And you and I as well as we're able, we put it all on the table
(Chorus) There were no red-headed Irishmen before the Vikings landed in Ireland How many Romans had dark curly hair before they brought slaves from Africa? No race of man is completely pure, nor is anyone's mind, that's for sure The winds mix the dust of every land, and so will woman and man.
(Chorus) This doesn't mean we will all be the same, We'll have different faces and different names Long live many different kinds of races It's difference of opinion that makes horse races Just remember the rule about rules, brother What could be right for one could be wrong for the other And take a tip from La Belle France: "Viva la difference!"
Sailing down my golden river, Sun and water all my own, Yet I was never alone. Sun and water, old life givers, I'll have them where e'er I roam, And I was not far from home. Sunlight glancing on the water, Life and death are all my own, Yet I was never alone. Life to raise my sons and daughters, Golden sparkles in the foam, And I was not far from home. Sailing down this winding highway, Travelers from near and far, Yet I was never alone. Exploring all the little by-ways, Sighting all the distant stars, And I was not far from home.
When I was a young man I'd never been kissed; I got to thinking about what I had missed. I found a girl. I kissed her and then... Oh lord, I kissed her again.
Oooooh, kisses sweeter than wine. Oooooh, kisses sweeter than wine.
He asked me to marry and be his sweet wife; We would be happy -- all of our life. He begged and he pleaded like a natural man, and then... Oh lord, I gave him my hand.
Oooooh, kisses sweeter than wine. Oooooh, kisses...
I worked mighty hard and so did my wife; Working hand in hand to make a good life. Corn in the field and wheat in the bins, and then... Oh lord, I was the father of twins.
Oooooh, kisses sweeter than wine. Oooooh, kisses...
Our children numbered just about four And they all had sweethearts knocking on the door. They all got married and they didn't wait, I was... Oh lord! a grandmother of eight!
Oooooh, kisses sweeter than wine. Oooooh, kisses...
Now we are old and ready to go Thinking about what happened a long time ago.
We had lots of kids and trouble and pain, but... Oh lord, we'd do it again.
Oooooh, kisses sweeter than wine. Oooooh, kisses... Oooooh, kisses sweeter than wine. Oooooh, kisses...
You know the guitar came to Europe with the gypsies 700 years ago Spain brought the guitar to Mexico 400 years ago U.S.A. picked a quarrel with Mexico and got Texas and California And it also got the guitar and the guitar got us It was Afro American people in the south That worked out this way of playing it though You know in Europe they usually play a guitar But the Afro American peple worked out a way to play it Just like a drum band
The base strings were played by a thumb with a steady beat And the top strings were played With the finger and got all the little off beats Up in Syracuse there's a 92 year old woman Who wrote a song, which some of you may know She plays it, who knows it?
Freight train, freight train goin' so fast Freight train, freight train goin' so fast Please don't tell them which train I'm on So they won't know which route I've gone
When I die just bury me deep Down at the foot of old Chestnut Street So I can hear old number nine As she goes roaring by
Freight train, freight train goin' so fast Freight train, freight train goin' so fast Please don't tell them which train I'm on So they won't know which route I've gone
When I'm dead and in my grave No more good times do I crave Place the tombstone at my head and my feet Tell my friends that I've gone to sleep
Freight train, freight train goin' so fast Freight train, freight train goin' so fast Please don't tell them which train I'm on So they won't know which route I've gone
My life flows on in endless song Above earth's lamentation. I hear the real, thought far off hymn That hails the new creation Above the tumult and the strife, I hear the music ringing; It sounds an echo in my soul How can I keep from singing?
What through the tempest loudly roars, I hear the truth, it liveth. What through the darkness round me close, Songs in the night it giveth. No storm can shake my inmost calm While to that rock I'm clinging. Since love is lord of Heaven and earth How can I keep from singing?
When tyrants tremble, sick with fear, And hear their death-knell ringing, When friends rejoice both far and near, How can I keep from singing? In prison cell and dungeon vile Our thoughts to them are winging. When friends by shame are undefiled, How can I keep from singing?
Mister Thompson calls the waiter, orders steak and baked potato (Then) he leaves the bone and gristle and he never eats the skin The busboy comes and takes it, with a cough contaminates it (And he) puts it in a can with coffee grounds and sardine tins And the truck comes by on Friday and carts it all away A thousand trucks just like it are converging on the Bay
Oh, Garbage, garbage, garbage, garbage We're filling up the seas with garbage What will we do when there's no place left To put all the garbage
Mr. Thompson starts his Cadillac and winds it down the freeway track Leaving friends and neighbors in a hydrocarbon haze He's joined by lots of smaller cars all sending gases to the stars There to form a seething cloud that hangs for thirty days And the sun licks down into it with an ultraviolet tongue (Till it) turns to smog and then it settles in our lungs
Oh, Garbage, garbage We're filling up the sky with garbage Garbage, garbage What will we do, when there's nothing left to breathe but garbage
Getting home and taking off his shoes he settles with the evening news While the kids do homework with the TV in one ear While Superman for thousandth's time sell talking dolls and conquers crime (They) dutifully learn the date of birth of Paul Revere In the paper there's a piece about the mayor's middle name (And) he gets it done in time to watch the all-star bingo game
Oh, Garbage We're filling up our minds with garbage What will we do when there's nothing left to read And there's nothing left to need there's nothing left to watch there's nothing left to touch there's nothing left to walk upon and nothing left to ponder on nothing left to see and nothing left to be but garbage
In Mr. Thompson's factory they're making plastic Christmas trees Complete with silver tinsel and a geodesic stand The plastic's mixed in giant vats, from some conglomeration that's been piped from deep within the Earth, or strip-mined from the land And if you ask them questions they say "why don't you see? It's absolutely needed for the economy."
Oh, garbage, garbage, garbage Their stocks and their bonds all garbage What will they do when their system go to smash there's no value to their cash there's no money to be made that there's a world to be repaid their kids will read in history book about financiers and other crooks and feudalism and slavery and nukes and all their knavery To history's dustbin they're consigned, along with many other kinds of garbage
Old devil time, I'm gonna fool you now Old devil time, you'd like to bring me down When I feel low, my lovers gather round And help me rise to fight you one more time Old devil pain, you've often pinned me down You thought I'd cry and beg you for the end At that very time my lovers gathered round And helped me rise to fight you one more time Old devil fear, you with your icy hands Old devil fear, you'd like to freeze me cold When I'm afraid, my lovers gather round And help me rise to fight you one more time Old devil hate, I knew you long ago Before I learned the poison in your breath Now when I hear your lies my lovers gather round And help me rise to fight you one more time No storm nor fire can ever beat us down No wind that blows but carries us further on And you who fear, oh lovers gather round And we will rise to sing it one more time
There's a river of my people And its flow is swift and strong, Flowing to some mighty ocean, Though its course is deep and long. Flowing to some mighty ocean, Though its course is deep and long.
Many rocks and reefs and mountains Seek to bar it from its way. But relentlessly this river Seeks its brothers in the sea. But relentlessly this river Seeks its brothers in the sea.
You will find us in the mainstream, Steering surely through the foam, Far beyond the raging waters We can see our certain home. Far beyond the raging waters We can see our certain home.
For we have mapped this river And we know its mighty force And the courage that this gives us Will hold us to our course. And the courage that this gives us Will hold us to our course.
Oh, river of my people, Together we must go, Hasten onward to that meeting Where my brothers wait I know. Hasten onward to that meeting Where my sisters wait I know.
