John Lee Hooker:The Motor City Is Burning
From LyricWiki
This song is performed by John Lee Hooker and appears on the album Urban Blues (1968) and on the album The Best Of John Lee Hooker 1965-1974 (1992).
Ya know, the Motor City is burning, babe
There ain't a thing in the world they can do
Ya know, the Motor City is burning people
There ain't a thing that white society can do
Ma home town burning down to the ground
Worser than Vietnam
Let me tell you how it started now
It started on 12th Clair Mount that morning
It made the, the pig cops all jump and shout
I said, it started on 12th Clair Mount that morning
It made the, the pigs in the street go freak out
The fire wagons kept comin', baby
But the Black Panther Snipers wouldn't let them put it out
Wouldn't let them put it out, wouldn't let them put it out
Get it on
Well, there were fire bombs bursting all around the people
Ya know there was soldiers standing everywhere
I said there was fire bombs bursting all around me, baby
Ya know there was National Guard everywhere
I can hear my people screaming
Sirens fill the air, fill the air, fill the air
Your mama, papa don't know what the trouble is
You see, they don't know what it's all about
I said, your mama, papa don't know what the trouble is, baby
They just can't see what it's all about
I get the news, read the newspapers, baby, baby?
You just get out there in the street and check it out
I said, the Motor City is burning, people
I ain't hanging 'round to fight it out
I said, the Motor City is burning, people
Just not hang around to fight it out
Well, I'm taking my wife and my people and they're on TV
Well, just before I go, baby, [Incomprehensible]
Fireman's on the street, people all around
Now, I guess it's true
I'd just like to strike a match for freedom myself
I may be a white boy, but I can be bad, too
Yes, it's true now, yes, it's true now
Yes
Let it all burn, let it all burn, let it all burn
There ain't a thing in the world they can do
Ya know, the Motor City is burning people
There ain't a thing that white society can do
Ma home town burning down to the ground
Worser than Vietnam
Let me tell you how it started now
It started on 12th Clair Mount that morning
It made the, the pig cops all jump and shout
I said, it started on 12th Clair Mount that morning
It made the, the pigs in the street go freak out
The fire wagons kept comin', baby
But the Black Panther Snipers wouldn't let them put it out
Wouldn't let them put it out, wouldn't let them put it out
Get it on
Well, there were fire bombs bursting all around the people
Ya know there was soldiers standing everywhere
I said there was fire bombs bursting all around me, baby
Ya know there was National Guard everywhere
I can hear my people screaming
Sirens fill the air, fill the air, fill the air
Your mama, papa don't know what the trouble is
You see, they don't know what it's all about
I said, your mama, papa don't know what the trouble is, baby
They just can't see what it's all about
I get the news, read the newspapers, baby, baby?
You just get out there in the street and check it out
I said, the Motor City is burning, people
I ain't hanging 'round to fight it out
I said, the Motor City is burning, people
Just not hang around to fight it out
Well, I'm taking my wife and my people and they're on TV
Well, just before I go, baby, [Incomprehensible]
Fireman's on the street, people all around
Now, I guess it's true
I'd just like to strike a match for freedom myself
I may be a white boy, but I can be bad, too
Yes, it's true now, yes, it's true now
Yes
Let it all burn, let it all burn, let it all burn
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