I worked for a woman, She wasn’t mean— But she had a twelve—room House to clean. Had to get breakfast,

When the shoe strings break On both your shoes And you’re in a hurry— That’s the blues. When you go to buy a candy bar

Only dumb guys fight. If I wasn’t dumb I wouldn’t be fightin’. I could make six dollars a day On the docks

I could take the Harlem night and wrap around you, Take the neon lights and make a cr… Take the Lenox Avenue busses, Taxis, subways,

Let America be America again. Let it be the dream it used to be. Let it be the pioneer on the plain Seeking a home where he himself is… (America never was America to me.…

In places like Selma, Alabama, Kids say, In places like Chicago and New York...

When I was home de Sunshine seemed like gold. When I was home de Sunshine seemed like gold. Since I come up North de

You say I O.K.ed LONG DISTANCE? O.K.ed it when? My goodness, Central That was then!

Tell all my mourners To mourn in red — Cause there ain’t no sense In my bein’ dead.

Where is the Jim Crow section On this merry—go—round, Mister, cause I want to ride? Down South where I come from White and colored