Black Steel

(album: Maxinquaye - 1995)

I got a letter from the government the other day
Opened and read it, it said they were suckers
They wanted me for their army or whatever
Picture me giving a damn, I said never

Here is a land that never gave a damn
About a brother like myself because they never did
I wasn't with it, but just that very minute
It occured to me the suckers had authority

Cold sweating as I dwell in my cell, how long has it been?
They got me sitting in the state pen
I gotta get out but that thought was thought before
I contemplated a plan on the cell floor

I'm not a fugitive on the run
But a brother like me began to be another one
Public enemy serving time, they drew the line y'all
They criticize me for some crime

I got a letter
I got a letter
I got a letter
Picture me giving a damn, I said never

It occured to me the suckers had authority

Cold sweating as I dwell in my cell, how long has it been?
They got me sitting in the state pen
I gotta get out but that thought was thought before

I got a letter from the government the other day
Opened and read it, it said they were suckers
They wanted me for their army or whatever
Picture me giving a damn, I said never

Here is a land that never gave a damn
'Bout a brother like me and myself because they never did
I wasn't with it, but just that very minute
It occured to me the suckers had authority

Cold sweating as I dwell in my cell, how long has it been?
They got me sitting in the state pen
I gotta get out but that thought was thought before
I contemplated a plan on the cell floor

I'm not a fugitive on the run
I'm not a fugitive on the run

Many switch in
Switch on, switch off
Many switch in
Switch on, switch off
Many switch in
Switch on, switch off
Many switch in
Switch on, switch off
Many switch in
Switch on, switch off

Nevertheless they cannot understand that I'm a black man
And I could never be a veteran
On the strength, the situation's unreal
I got a raw deal, so I'm looking for the steel
Looking for the steel

I got a letter from the government the other day
Opened and read it, it said they were suckers
They wanted me for their army or whatever
Picture me giving a damn, I said never

Here is a land that never gave a damn
'Bout a brother like me and myself because they never did
I wasn't with it, but just that very minute
It occured to me the suckers had authority

Cold sweating as I dwell in my cell, how long has it been?
They got me sitting in the state pen
I gotta get out but that thought was thought before
I contemplated a plan on the cell floor

I'm not a fugitive on the run
I'm not
I'm not

I'm not a fugitive on the run
But a brother like me began to be another one
Public enemy serving time, they drew the line y'all
They criticize me for some crime

I got a letter from the government the other day
Opened and read it, it said they were suckers
They wanted me for their army or whatever
Picture me giving a damn, I said never

Here is a land that never gave a damn
'Bout a brother like me and myself because they never did
I wasn't with it, but just that very minute

I got a letter from the government the other day
Opened and read it, it said they were suckers
They wanted me for their army or whatever
Picture me giving a damn, I said never

Here is a land that never gave a damn