Christ -- he was a man, I know for sure a fine example of a man who could take no more, but if I'm to believe there is a God of Man and Beast I'll look to see what's in the hearts of everyone; Lies: poison your ears, you can be sure; Fear: it close your eyes and locks the door; Greed: extends your hand and asks for more; and the Belief that that voice is right LETGOMAHHANDLETGOMAHEYES - BEHOLDMAHREDNIGHT I don't believe, but I look up -- 'ts what I was told I don't believe, but I was taught to think that sumthin's watchin' me so I'm gunna still shout out! shout out! shout out!, and it's nice to believe there's someone listenin' I look up when I should look around. LETGOMAHHANDLETGOMAHEYES - BEHOLDMAHREDNIGHT What is justice if it's just us in the end to sort it out? Would you change? No, I don't think you would! And if I said that he don't see what you're thinkin', only what you do would you change? No, I don't think you would! And I'm tellin' you, they're gunna remind you that there's an after-life and this one don't count, so look up and see what you want to see LETGOMAHHANDLETGOMAHEYES BEHOLDMAHREDNIGHT Close mah eyes, steady mah hand, and hope mah selfish ways have been enough to bask in your grace.

We used to meet on the playground -- different kids from different towns, and different backgrounds, but we'd settle our differences by bloody-ing noses and then we'd be friends so, when they told us about the cotton, molasses, and slave ships filled with great grand-parents of the 'other' kids when we asked why they didn't look like us, the teacher said, "that's the way it is!" --- I didn't know what to do when mah friend Aaron told mah friend Herbert that he was a slave, and maybe his ancestors owned his -- what a laugh! Oh, wouldn't it be such a laugh? Man, was I ashamed! But I was young and a coward so I sat silently, watched everything change and when I asked mah older brother, "would it ever be the same?" He said, "No, that's the way it is!" --- And when Herbert go home with a blacker eye than he already got and he pushes away the lovin' hand with the ice-pack and he starts to ball and she already know, been back from down that road, but she bites her tongue so she can hear her son look up and say, "Momma, what have we done?" --- I couldn't stomach the playground no more so I started lookin' somewhere else for answers and then mah library told me about what was really goin' on back in 1493: about the killin' and enslaving and the man with his own day was a thief and a whore and that it's more likely America was discovered by a black man 4,000 years before! When I asked mah principal "Hey man, why we don't teach it like this?" he looked at me and said, "I don't know Russ...because that's the way it is!" --- And when I go home with a whiter shade than I already got and I throw down mah books cuz they's written by crooks and I start to ball and she don't really know, never been down that road, so she holds her tongue so she can hear her son look up and say, "Momma, what have we done?" History's written by the winners! Most of those winners are sinners! And they had guns, germs, and steels on their side! That kinda luck shouldn't give you no pride! I said that's the way it is, but it ain't the way it gotta be!

[1] MAH OLD MAN taught me about a life worth livin'! Said "If you get just one person to mourn you when your gone..." I WONDER WHAT he was thinkin' when his church called on me and I left mah seat empty GUESS I TAUGHT him a thing a bout dyin'! If your gunna start tryin' don't wait 'til the day you GET OUTTA HERE [2] NEVER MEANT TO be a burden His "foxy little thang" was gone 'fore I was one I NEVER ASKED to be forgiven To say "I'm sorry"'d be a lie, we just don't see eye to eye SO I STAND up and take mah lickin's hold the line and bide mah time for the day I GET OUTTA HERE [3] THEY SAY these streets are mean, but they're kind to boys like me: Young and light-skinned and never in 'Nam WE'D FLASH a smile to the pretty girls for a fin in the jar and trade stock tips with humour-less snappy-dressed marks ALL THE OLD folks scoffed that we weren't in class, but we had Scooter and Barclay and skinheads from Mass. CHALKIN' UP THE BOARD: Long ball and short haul BUT IN THE back of mah head was stickin': mah old man taught me 'bout a life worth livin' YOU SPIT WHERE I make a killin'! So I SAVE up mah pay and make for a play toward the day I GET OUTTA HERE [4] IT'S NOT EASY to find, but so easy to lose- that's how it is defined YOU PICKED ME up back on mah feet - then so quick to mah knees, kiss you hips if you please FILLED the cupboards with mah fast hand YOUR SECRET lover and your best friend Felt so tender, won't let end but love don't make dem steel handcuffs bend I guess that we both got greedy! For some time, I'll cry and I'll pine 'til the day I GET OUTTA HERE [5 (Alternate verse)] to find somethin', it can be so thrillin'; a love that changes what you think of the ocean and God but is it worth a killin'? if it's not yours when you're gone is it ever really your own? if you think so man, you must be jokin'! bide mah time, find out what's mine on the day I get out of here! [6] I AM A PATIENT MAN and I'm willing to grow, but the things you hear here ain't things you wanna know HYPE SOME GREEN or show you are mean; so keen to be hard, but ain't nuthin' so hard as this cot and those bars WOULDN'T BE so bad if we could just play cards, or smoke some cigarettes in the yard, but I DON'T CARE when push comes to shove; so read the charges again, they ain't stickin'. MAH OLD MAN taught me 'bout a life worth livin' and that sure as hell ain't in prison! shorten mah stay, mah dues are all paid Still! make 'em RUE THE DAY I GET OUTTA HERE [7] SO HERE be I, strummin' guitar Lo! The faces don't change in this rock n' roll bar I CAME OUT to sing you mah life -- won't you listen? To a verse about a life worth livin'? SAVE YOUR MONEY for the bartender, I'll give you this song Just please, mourn for me when I'm gone [8] AND LET ME go! I ain't long for this place DON'T TAKE IT personal - it was mah time to waste I'M GOIN' OUT - all mah dreams have been chased and backed down to a corner bar where within all the old men talk about a life worth livin' THOUGH AT TIMES I lived mah life like a villain, hope to see your face after I've run mah race AND HOPE THAT His Grace don't send me back to this place and it'll be the day I GET OUTTA HERE

Come to a fork in that Long-Winding Road you find yourself stuck in the middle! you know you are, which way you go? You know your heart said "alright", but your feet sayin' "no!" If you got more time than money go: oh! Get the joke but it ain't that funny: oh! At the station but the train ain't comin': oh! C'mon c'mon c'mon, everybody go: oh, no! You've got a start; end writes itself You find your stuck in the middle! you know you are, which way you go? Feel like I've know it forever, but I can't remember If you got more time than money go: oh! Sell the pills to pay the doctor's bills: oh! Want for sumthin' but none of the frills: oh! C'mon c'mon c'mon, everybody go: oh, no! What must be done and what is right-- you find yourself stuck in the middle! you know you are, which way you go? Feel like I can conceive it, but I don't believe it! If you got more time than money go: oh! Filled the tank but the car don't run: oh! At the circus but you don't like fun: oh! C'mon c'mon c'mon, everybody go: oh, no! [bridge] If you got more time than money go: oh! Got a gun but can't afford the bullet : oh! Found a bullet, but no guts to pull it: oh! C'mon c'mon c'mon, everybody go: oh, no! They say "that's life!" They say "it ain't fair!" They say an awful lot of things not meant to get you here or there. Burden draggin' you down? Feelin' like your feelin' low? Can't make your mind up and feel all alone? Well, come down and join us! We'll all be hangin' 'round at the Fork in that Long-Winding Road Oh Yeah!