Mississippi Goddam (Live at the Newport Jazz Festival, 1966)

Fuel up And, of course a couple of years ago Four little girls were killed In Alabama And at that time we got the inspiration to do this song But Dr. King's murder has left me so numb I don't know where I'm at, really And of course you heard this song that was composed by Gene Taylor Especially for today But I hope that between now and the end of the year It'll all be together enough That we will have songs that go down in history For these wonderful, brave people Who are no longer with us Alabama's gotten me so upset Tennessee made me lose my rest Everybody knows about Mississippi, goddam! Alabama's gotten me so upset Lurleen Wallace has made me lose my rest Everybody knows about Mississippi, goddam! Can't you see it? I know you can feel it It's all in the air I can't stand the pressure much longer Somebody say a prayer Alabama has got me so upset And Memphis has made me lose my rest Everybody knows about Mississippi, goddam! Hound dogs on my trail Those school children sitting in jail Black cat cross my path I think every day's gonna be my last Lord, have mercy on this land of mine We all gonna get it in due time 'Cause I don't belong here I don't belong there I've even stopped believing in prayer Don't tell me, I'll tell you Me and my people, just about due I've been there, so I know You keep on saying, "Go slow" Well that's just the trouble (too slow) Washing the windows (too slow) Pickin' the cotton (too slow) Nothin' but rotten (too slow) Too damn lazy (too slow) Thinking's crazy (too slow) Where am I going? What am I doing? I don't know I don't know Just try to do my very best Stand up be counted with all the rest 'Cause everybody knows about Mississippi, goddam! Now, you heard him He's one of you If you have been moved at all And you know my songs at all For God's sakes, join me Don't sit back there The time is too late now, good God! You know? The king is dead, the king of love is dead I ain't 'bout to be nonviolent, honey! Ahaha, woah no Picket lines, school boy cots They try to say it's a communist plot But all I want is equality For my sister, my brother, my people and me And I loved him because he believed it He lived by it But you lied to me all these years You told me to wash and clean my ears And talk real fine just like a lady And you'd stop calling my mama Aunt Sadie Can you hand me another? But my country is full of lies We all gonna die, and die like flies 'Cause I don't trust nobody anymore Keep on saying, "Go slow" That's just the trouble (too slow) Desegregation (too slow) Mass participation (too slow) Unification (too slow) Do things gradually (too slow) But bring more tragedy (too slow) Why don't you see it? Why don't you feel it? I don't know I don't know You don't have to live next to me Just give me my equality 'Cause everybody knows about Mississippi Everybody knows about Alabama Everybody knows about Mississippi, goddam! That's it!