take back the verdict
we don’t understand your reason
take back the verdict
we don’t understand your view
take back the verdict
this decision’s worse than treason
if you don’t take back this judgement
there ain’t nothing we can do
to stop the war in l.a.
all the people are uprising
there’s war in the bay
we are certain what we saw
there’s a war on the way
every color sympathizing
reevaluate your judgement
or eliminate the law
©
momentary torrential downpour
underscore deep rumbling
humbling rivers swell
trees who fell housing survivors
reviving dreams drowned
unbound rhythms
unwinding infernal systems
diurnal awakening
staking claim
on newly washed conscience
aim pointed
anointed icons questioned
fallen feeders broken leaders
cleaned while gleaned riches
buy chances
gestation enhances freedom
voters in trances wake and thunder
©
telephonic gathering
supersonic blathering
word in edgewise
listen think verbalize
canned voice
language choice
time space continuum
add the sum
drop a line
mutter with a clear design
telephonic clarity
communicate hilarity
©
we’ve got war on the poor . limit on the debt
keep strangling your sister to find out what you get
people coming to the street . take your white hoods down
gonna bring a new message to the folks uptown
bring some lunch, lot’s of water . come ready to stay
put some love in your anger . singing day after day
we shall all overcome this maniacal greed
we are coming together . plant and nurture the seed
of hope surely growing out from under blacktop
when concrete is shattered and the autos all stop
when silence is roaring, casting judgement on us
there won’t be any wonder . we emerge from the dust
of desire, self loathing . crawl away from debris
scrape hate from our eyes so we finely can see
deep lies and deception . elected in force
we proclaim us the winners of an ugly divorce
from this abusive landowner, self-proclaimed boss
of my future i celebrate . then mourn the loss
of my comrades . we peer through the wreckage of shame
we peer through decades for someone to blame
as we look in the mirror, the culprit stares back
now we know we have faltered . it’s time to retrack
put ourselves on a new path . time to shift gears
make music and lyrics so everyone hears
we all gather near water . remember our pain
pick ourselves up from grieving . there’s nothing to gain
from our terrible history but warnings of doom
we can look for tomorrow or wallow in gloom
heed the warnings . we turn ourselves back to the sun
now we know our beginning has almost begun
heed the warnings . we turn ourselves back to the sun
now we know our beginning has only begun
heed the warnings . we turn ourselves back to the sun
now we know our beginning has finally begun
©
saving the daylight
minimize fright
while tossing off biorhythms
beams of early morning go back to sleep
shifting consciousness
profit margin rules the clock
makes a mockery of time
toe the line of rigid measured
parcels of moments on end
saving tomorrow
our future’s not to spend another dime
before we get there
measured time
©
where do we walk? we walk in the fire
where do we dance? we dance on the moon
just like that grandmother living inside her
we have the power of life in the womb
we cannot sail by the breath of the north wind
without protection from impending doom
look, there is guidance in the sun’s reflection
womanpath in the cycles of the moon
each step we take on our path through the fire
give us the freedom to take one step more
just like old jericho, as we desire
the walls will crumble we’ll dance through the door
©
rage
the great equalizer
from love it emerges, swerves, charges
ducks and shimmies
enlarges the heart
a page from the book of art
it paints itself huge in the eyes of true enemies
shining light on pain
rage refuses to back down
making it’s own path through a rain of tears
rage pulls near to it’s target with justified screaming
internal beaming lights drown out fear
when rage enters a room
the air shimmers with glee
while naysayers flee the power of this
naked lover of truth
rage dispels myths
repels lies
defeats shadowy deals
lays to waste polite banter
brings hurt to it’s knees
rage sees itself as the keys
knows the deep combination of love and battle
rage sees truth in the mirror
©
the morning was so normal
the afternoon was, too
i took the day in stride
a thing i always do
then off to a good friend’s house
i rode there on my bike
just to see on the tv news
a thing i didn’t like
there was that anchor lady she was
tellin’ us the news
i didn’t think that we were gonna
end up with the blues
your picture flashed across the screen
sadness crossed my mind
i knew she was about to say
a thing that was unkind
before that woman read her story
tears came to my eyes
then she read the words before her
john lennon dies
john lennon dies
at the mercy
of a man without a cause
he called your name
then he shot you down . now you’re gone
at the mercy of a man without a cause
he called your name
he looked you in the eye
he pulled the trigger
then he watched you die
you’ll never write another song
you’ll ask for peace no more
but at least there’s one good thing
you won’t be here for the war
even though your body’s gone
your song remains the same
we won’t forget your energy
we won’t forget your name
it’s sad the things some people do
that’s the way things are
your life here has been sacrificed
we’ve lost another star
we’ve lost another star
at the mercy
of a man without a cause
i guess he couldn’t stand your fame
he couldn’t let it be
he took your life on earth
but i think he set you free
i know he set you free
he set you free
© 1980
©
there’s no stain on your collar . no sweat rollin’ down your brow
there’s no stain on your collar . no sweat rollin’ down your brow
when we talk to you about hunger, you say it’s something america won’t allow
you’ got your sirloin on the table, cows are grazing in the field
you’ got your sirloin on the table, live ones out there grazing in the field
at least a hundred thousand workers could live on the grain that ground would yield
i wash my clothes down by the river . water makes holes all in my sleeve
i wash my clothes down by the river . that water makes holes all in my sleeves
the fish can’t see what they’re drinking, but i can see the air that i breathe
you’ got investments in your pocket, driving a brand new limousine
investments in your pocket, driving a brand new limousine
all the dividends from wall street won’t buy you a clear, bubblin’ mountain stream
©
i’ got a job that drives me crazy
with some people that make me mad
but when it comes to money well i’ll tell ya honey
it’s the best gig i ever had …
i wake up in the morning, put on my dirty clothes
it’s not the kind of gig you go to smelling like a rose
rubber gloves in pocket and i’m ready for the job
it’s really not much fun when the visitors are slobs
well i’ll do your laundry, and i’ll make your bed
but don’t you get superior ideas in your head
i’m the cleaning lady . you think i’m overpaid
i’m the cleaning lady . i don’t serve lemonade
don’t give me no lip and don’t give me no jive
’cause takin’ your money is the pleasure i derive
i’m the cleaning lady, but i’m not the maid
i vacuum the carpets, pull the cobwebs off the walls
shine up your picture frames and dust your china dolls
i wash your windows so you can see outside
i clean your nasty toilet bowls with dignity and pride
i wipe the boogers and bad breath from the phone
but you’d better treat me nicely or i’ll leave you on your own
i’m the cleaning lady . you think i’m overpaid
i’m the cleaning lady . i don’t serve lemonade
don’t give me no lip and don’t give me no jive
’cause takin’ your money is the pleasure i derive
i’m the cleaning lady, but i’m not the maid
i’m the cleaning lady, and i just got paid!!!