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
Dahoud Andre is a member of KOMOKODA, the Community to Mobilize Against Dictatorship in Haiti, and host of Eritye Papa Desalin, the Heirs of Jean Jacques Dessalines, a daily Haitian community radio…
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The demands for justice at home and abroad must not be sacrificed on the altar of what is called pragmatism. The false choices presented by liberalism can undermine the movement altogether.
A May Day 1928 essay by Black communist Williana “Liana” Jones Burroughs – aka Mary Adams – recounts the history of African revolt in the Americas.
