Lyrics

YOU KNOW I'M PROUD TO BE BLACK MAN
BLACK IS BACK, I HOPE I DON'T FRIGHTEN ANYBODY
BUT I'M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH'
I WAS BORN A LITTLE BOY LIVING IN A GREAT BIG CITY
NOT TO LONG AGO
I DON'T EVER THINK THAT I WOULD EVER FORGET MY PAST
CAME HERE 400 YEARS AGO
EVERY SINCE YOU ALL BEEN TELLING ME NO
BUT I WANT YOU TO FINALLY UNDERSTAND
THAT'S RIGHT, I'M A BLACK MAN
THE REVELATION IS CREATION OF A NATION
MY OBLIGATION IS EDUCATION FROM THE SONGS I SING FOR YOU
NO MORE TEARS NO MORE FEARS WE'VE COME TO FAR
THERE CAN BE NO TURNING AROUND, BLACK MAN
MY FRIEND NAMED JOHNNY HE LIVES ON A 103RD STREET
USED TO GO OUT ABOUT 4 O'CLOCK EVERY NIGHT
HE WOULD JUST WANDER UP AND DOWN THE STREET CARRYING HIS KNIFE
IF THE MAN CAN'T WORK FROM 9 TO 5 WHAT DO YOU WANT HIM TO DO
GET TOGETHER
HOW IN THE WORLD CAN ANYONE THINK CHEESE IS THE ONLY FOOD
NAH WE AIN'T LIVING LIKE THAT
NOW MY FRIEND SALLY COMPROMISES HER BODY
JUST FOR TEN MINUTE HIGH AND ALL I CAN DO IS SAY WHY
CAUSE IM A BLACK MAN RESPECT THE BLACK WOMAN
I'M A BLACK MAN
WENT DOWNTOWN THE OTHER DAY JUS TO TRY AND GET SOME FOOD
TO FEED MY BABIES
SOCIAL WORKER LOOKED AT ME SAID FOOD IS NOT EASY
YOU MUST BE CRAZY? WHAT CRAZY?
LADY I DON'T WANT NOTHING FREE I JUST WANNA BE
MYSELF BLACK MAN
CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE ME MY FREEDOM THAT'S ALL I WANT
SOME BROTHER'S AND SISTER'S FEEL IT'S NOT GONNA BE
TOO LONG BEFORE THE DAY COMES WHEN WE ALL WHEN WE ALL
BE SEEN AS ONE BLACK MAN
HEAR ME WHEN I SAY I WAS BORN A LITTLE BOY
LIVING IN A GREAT BIG CITY NOT TO LONG AGO
I DON'T EVER THINK THAT I WOULD EVER FORGET MY PAST
THE REVELATION IS CREATION OF A NATION
MY OBLIGATION IS EDUCATION
FROM THE SONGS I SING FOR YOU BLACK MAN
ONLY WAY WE'RE GONNA GET OVER, GOT TO COME TOGETHER
UMBELE, UMBELE O

T.RASHAD,J.BOOTHE,M.CHERRY,SAM SEVER
ON THE HORIZON ALBUM 1989 OBR/DEF JAM RECORDINGS.