Look Away

My grandfather's own grandfather

Walked home from the Civil War

From Virginia to Columbia, SC

I don't know what made him join up

I don't know what he believed

But his legacy has passed right down to me

Way down south in the land of cotton

Stories here are not forgotten

Except when we'd prefer to look away

Rules were written to advantage

So the playing field was slanted

And that's how it is still working to this day

Look away, look away

I can't look away from history anymore

You can claim all is forgiven

You can tie a yellow ribbon

But that old oak tree is rotten at the core

Now the monuments to generals are all covered up in canvas

And some people say that's history they're hiding

But those statues tell a story that I cannot celebrate

Treating people like those horses they are riding

I must listen to my sisters if I want to understand

Though the story is a painful one to hear

If there's any hope of healing, there'll be hurting on the way

I think maybe we should start right now and here

Look away, look away

I can't look away from history anymore

You can claim all is forgiven,

You can tie a yellow ribbon

But that old oak tree is rotten at the core

I still love a good long story

I still love a cold sweet tea

I still love the people, black and white

Who raised and nourished me

But my people told a story

And that story was a lie

And if we're ever going to heal this

We've got to look it in the eye

Look away, look away

I can't look away from history anymore

You can claim all is forgiven

You can tie a yellow ribbon

But that old oak tree is rotten at the core

You can claim all is forgiven

You can tie a yellow ribbon

But that old oak tree is rotten at the core