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
On January 9, 2008 Glen Ford debated Michael Eric Dyson on the program Democracy Now. The topic of discussion was Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.
Across the country entities that are known as child welfare agencies regularly break up black families by claiming to care for the needs of children. Amanda Wallace is the founder of Operation Stop…
Rasheda Alexander is a tenant organizer at the University City Town Homes in Philadelphia. She joins us to discuss their struggle to stop a mass eviction amidst the proposed sale of their affordable…
I was very proud to write the preface to Glen Ford's book, The Black Agenda, which was published posthumously by OR Books. As we approach the first anniversary of Glen's passing, I endeavored to…
Glen Ford was among the speakers at a May 16, 2014 teach-in on Ukraine sponsored by the International Action Center. The event was held at The Riverside Church in New York City in the wake of the…
