Mississippi Goddam – Nina Simone

“Mississippi Goddam”


The name of this tune is Mississippi Goddam

And I mean every word of it


Alabama’s gotten me so upset

Tennessee made me lose my rest

And everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam


Alabama’s gotten me so upset

Tennessee made me lose my rest

And everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam


Can’t you see it

Can’t you feel it

It’s all in the air

I can’t stand the pressure much longer

Somebody say a prayer


Alabama’s gotten me so upset

Tennessee made me lose my rest

And everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam


This is a show tune

But the show hasn’t been written for it, yet


Hound dogs on my trail

School children sitting in jail

Black cat cross my path

I think every day’s gonna be my last


Lord have mercy on this land of mine

We all gonna get it in due time

I don’t belong here

I don’t belong there

I’ve even stopped believing in prayer


Don’t tell me

I tell you

Me and my people just about due

I’ve been there so I know

They keep on saying ‘Go slow!’


But that’s just the trouble

‘Do it slow’

Washing the windows

‘Do it slow’

Picking the cotton

‘Do it slow’

You’re just plain rotten

‘Do it slow’

You’re too damn lazy

‘Do it slow’

The thinking’s crazy

‘Do it slow’

Where am I going

What am I doing

I don’t know

I don’t know


Just try to do your very best

Stand up be counted with all the rest

For everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam


I made you thought I was kiddin’


Picket lines

School boy cots

They try to say it’s a communist plot

All I want is equality

For my sister my brother my people and me


Yes you lied to me all these years

You told me to wash and clean my ears

And talk real fine just like a lady

And you’d stop calling me Sister Sadie


Oh but this whole country is full of lies

You’re all gonna die and die like flies

I don’t trust you any more

You keep on saying ‘Go slow!’

‘Go slow!’


But that’s just the trouble

‘Do it slow’

Desegregation

‘Do it slow’

Mass participation

‘Do it slow’

Reunification

‘Do it slow’

Do things gradually

‘Do it slow’

But bring more tragedy

‘Do it slow’

Why don’t you see it

Why don’t you feel it

I don’t know

I don’t know


You don’t have to live next to me

Just give me my equality

Everybody knows about Mississippi

Everybody knows about Alabama

Everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam