by Raymond Nat Turner
BABY, PLEASE GO VOTE
The battle is no longer in the streets
BABY, PLEASE GO VOTE
Now, we fightin’ for those leather seats
Sold Singers
by Raymond Nat Turner
Singing against backgrounds of crackling flames,
So low their bass reverberated Booker T,
Drowning out shouts and shots of the no-names
The big voices all crooned way, way off key
Mint-fresh faces of Franklin, Cleveland and Chase
Inspired their song with an “Amazing Grace”
Restricting our rhythm to a mellow pace:
“Black is beautiful, but green power
Sounds sweeter, not rocking the boat—
Being dutiful, seize the hour and
Let us lower our note…”
Singin’ shufflin’ ditties, once the 70s swung in
They rocked like Booker T and other sold men
Oh, so low they’d “Sing a Simple Song”
“The best things in life are free…”
“So What” “if loving you is wrong…”
“…You can’t prove that by me”
They’d even get down, like James Brown,
On bended knees, screamin’ and beggin’
“Baby, please, please…”
BABY, PLEASE GO VOTE
The battle is no longer in the streets
BABY, PLEASE GO VOTE
Now, we fightin’ for those leather seats
BABY, PLEASE GO VOTE
I-I-I-I…
I know the white man done you wrong
BABY, PLEASE GO VOTE
So vote for me, and make us strong
BABY, PLEASE GO VOTE
You’ve suffered enough, heaven knows
BABY, PLEASE GO VOTE
E-lect me, and I’ll heal your woes
BABY, PLEASE GO VOTE
I-I-I-I…
I wanna be you next Congressman
BABY, PLEASE GO VOTE
I promise to ban the Ku Klux Klan
BABY, PLEASE GO VOTE
And look into all racist attacks
BABY, PLEASE GO VOTE
From the hills, across the tracks
BABY, PLEASE GO VOTE
So don’t protest or demonstrate
BABY, PLEASE GO VOTE
E-lect me and I’ll negotiate
BABY, PLEASE GO VOTE
I-I-I-I…
“Promises, promises, promises…” and
Makers come and go…
‘Til we sing: “We Shall Overthrow!”
Raymond Nat Turner can be contacted at upsurgejazz.com.
Raymond Nat Turner © 2013 All Rights Reserved
Following the Al-Aqsa flood, media reports blamed the Palestinian resistance for well over one thousand deaths. As the dust settles, reports have since emerged indicating that the IDF killed…
This week we hear about Haiti - the 20th anniversary of the US coup against President Aristide, and the impending U.S. occupation. But first, the Abandon Biden campaign created in the…
Jaylani Husseini joins us to discuss the Abandon Biden campaign, the results of the Michigan primary uncommitted campaign, and Israeli war crimes in Gaza
Dahoud Andre joins us to discuss the latest indictments in the 2021 assassination of president Jovenel Moise, the 2004 coup against Aristide, and the latest US plan for the occupation of Haiti.…
Aaron Bushnell was desperate for the world to know what was happening to the people of Gaza. So much so that he died by his own hand, publicly, and in a painful way. But Palestinians are dying…
