Two Gallants - Long Summer Day

All i’ve ever known is poor.
Owe my skin to the country store.
Don’t own my walls, my roof, my door, and he tells me i’m free.
But why fight the will to live.
Hell might take but heaven gives, there’s only one so i’ll forgive.
No i ain’t one to grieve.
But the summer day makes a white man lazy.
He sits on his porch killing time.
I’ve got to work to feed my wife and baby.
I work so goddamn hard that it’s a crime.
Well i went down to the polling place but the white man there just laughed in my face.
Said, “boy this ain’t no nigger’s race.
You best get on your way.
“sir i believe i’ve got the right.”
He said, “you ain’t got nothin’ if you ain’t white.
And i thought i said get out of sight.”
Well what was i to say.
The summer day makes a white man lazy.
When i was about the age of five, i watched my daddy burned alive.
They cut him low and they hung him high, swaying in the breeze.
But the last words i heard him say before they stole his life that day was “forgive them lord, they’ve gone astray.
Please take me to my ease.”
The summer day makes a white man lazy.
Well i don’t know but i heard tell of a furnace below, a place called hell and who would catch me if i fell?
Who would pray for me?
But one thing i see for sure, its hot as hell up here i know and the devil lives right down the road.
It’s all the same to me.
‘cause the summer day makes a white man lazy.
He sits on his porch killing time.
But the summer day makes a nigga’ feel crazy.
Might make me do something out of line.
Well if you should see my wife tell her i won’t be home tonight, so don’t leave on the light.
I’ve got a little business down the road.
And if i’m dead by sunrise kiss my baby girl for me.
It ain’t life if it ain’t free.
I’ve got a mighty burden to unload.