Gil Scott-Heron Album

During reconstruction time they were folks who have been promised 40 acres and a mule. And they were told a man with their legal papers could be expected on a train from Washington. They were folks who waited for him and there are folks still waiting for him. But you can't depend on the train from Washington, it's 100 years overdue…

You can depend on the stars and planets yeah
They'll always tell you the truth
You can depend on the 15th of April Yeah
Somehow it always gets through
You can depend on the daily paper's calls
They surely bring you the blues
But don't depend on the train from Washington
It's one hundred years overdue

I see people, dragging on their own
I see them standing
Anxious near the tracks
I see people, a long long way from home
Wondering how they'll ever get back

You can depend on the politicians yeah
Always got a point of view
They are contemporary court magicians yeah
Sleight of mouth will dazzle you
You can depend on the repositions from them
Changes that you've got to go through
But don't depend on the train from Washington
It's one hundred years overdue

I see people, on their way to work
I see factories bursting at the seams
I see people listening for the whistle
On the train that will carry their dreams

I see people, on their way to work
I see factories bursting at the seams
I see people listening for the whistle
On the train that will carry their dreams

You can depend on the folks and gravity
Cuz both of them will bring you down
You can depend on catching something Yeah
Cause something is going around
You can depend on the first two numbers, but
Damn if the last one come through
But don't depend on the train from Washington
It's one hundred years overdue

You can't depend on the train from Washington
It's one hundred years overdue
Oh lord you see
You can't depend on the train from Washington
It's one hundred years overdue
Don't you over
But don't depend on the train from Washington
Eh eh eh .. eh you know it might not make it
You can't depend on the train from Washington
Everybody knows it's it's it's running late
You can't depend on the train from Washington
It's one hundred years overdue
It's long long time
You can't depend on the train from Washington
It's one hundred years overdue ……

Gil Scott Heron

[No lyrics]

Brother livin' in a cell,
Doin' time in a county jail,
Now you might think his life is hell,
But he told me, first room he ever had to himself
He's just, waitin' for the axe to fall,
Sometimes lord I think that's all,
When you're head is on a block
ain't no way for it to stop
You're just waitin' for the axe to fall.

Brother served in Viet Nam,
and found out no one gives a damn.
Agent Orange fell on his camp (but everybody went deaf)
Brother turned around on Uncle Sam.
Waiting for the axe to fall;
Sometimes, Lord I think that's all.
When your head is in the noose
and won't nobody turn you loose
you're waiting for the axe to fall.

Sister on the welfare line,
Examining the threads of her life,
She never thought she'd be cheatin' and lyin'
Just makin' sure her and her kids survive
It's gettin' tougher just, waitin' for the axe to fall
Sometimes lord I think that's all
When you're head is on the block
and ain't nobody trying to stop
You're just waitin' for the axe to fall

Last night grandma should got shook
'cause someone took her pocketbook
She ain't safe in the neighborhood
'cause too many youngin's up to no good
They're just, waitin' for the axe to fall
Sometimes lord I think that's all
When your head is in the noose
and won't nobody turn you loose
You're waitin' for the axe to fall

I've got a feeling
About combinations and how they
Work out so well
It only happens when people don't dwell on

The time or the feeling
And about combinations it's true that
North and south attract
Yes, but forever ain't a fact
To consider like our combination

And you can tear this moment down
And you can make me explain
Every little thing and every situation
But life turns itself around
And all the laughter and the pain
Simply helps us to maintain our combinations

And I know a sister
Who says combinations are created in the stars
Something to do with my Venus and my Mars being in line
To bring about combinations that will mix in my mind
Until I'm never quite satisfied
By any but our combination

Well he loved plenty women from Canada to Mexico
They would to love to see him coming and hated when he had to go
A macho man before macho ever came to town
The only problem was not enough of him to go around

You know he had had more romances than L.A.'s got stars
He had had more romances than Detroit's got cars
He's a, a legend in his own mind and God's gift to women
On a day God wasn't giving up a thing

Well you hate to see him coming when you're grooving at your favorite bar
He's the death of the party and a self-proclaimed superstar
Got permanent Jones to assure you he's been everywhere
A show stopping name dropping answer to the ladies' prayers

To hear him telling he had more romances than doctors got bills
He had had more romances than Beverly got Hills
He's a, a legend in his own mind and God's gift to women
On a day God wasn't giving up a thing

You don't have to listen when he's rattling on, yeah
You don't have to listen, he's telling everybody else
You don't have to believe him, I don't think I'll ever believe him
Matter of fact he may well not believe himself

Well he loved plenty women from Canada to Mexico
And they loved to see him coming and hated when he had to go
A macho man before macho ever came to town
The only problem was not enough of him to go around

You know he had had more romances than airplanes got gauges
He had had more romances than phone books got pages
He's a, a legend in his own mind and God's gift to women
On a day God wasn't giving up a thing

He's a, a legend in his own mind and God's gift to women
On a day God wasn't giving up, wasn't giving up, wasn't giving up
He's a, a legend in his own mind and God's gift to women
On a day God wasn't giving up a thing

[No lyrics]

Countryside was cold and still
There were three crosses on the hill
Each one wore a burning hood
To hide its rotten core of wood
And I say father, father I hear an iron sound
Hoof beats on the frozen ground
And downhill the riders came
Lord it was a cryin' shame
To see the blood upon their whips
To hear the snarlin' from their lips
And I cried mother, mother I feel a stabbing pain
Blood runs down like summers rain
And each one wore a mask of white
To hide his cruel face from sight
And each one sucked a hungry breath
Out of the empty lungs of death
And I say sister, sister, I need you to take my hand
It's always lonely when it's time to stand
He who rides with the klan
Is a devil and not a man
For underneath his white disguise
I have looked into his eyes
And I say brother, brother, stand by me
It's not so easy to be free
Father, mother, sister, brother, stand by me
It's not so easy to be free
It's not so easy to be free
It's not so easy to be free
Nobody ever said it would be easy
Nobody ever said it would be easy
It's not so easy, no it's not so easy

Now sweet lil ol' brown eyed girl, hey, now
Now that you're sleepin'
I've got a confession to make
Of secrets that I've been keepin'
Me and your mama had some problems,
A whole lotta things on our minds
But lately, girl, we've been thinkin' that we were wastin' time
Nearly all the time, and

Your daddy loves you
Your daddy loves his girl
Your daddy loves you
Your daddy loves his girl, hey now

Now sweet lil ol' chocolate girl
Now that you're sleepin' I feel braver
I've got a confession to make
I'll sneak it in while you're dreamin'
Me and your mama had some troubles
There's been a whole lotta things on our minds
But lately when we look at you, we know that we've been wastin' time
Damn near all the time, and

Your daddy loves you
Your daddy loves his girl, hey, now
Said your daddy loves you
Said your daddy loves his girl, hey, now
Your daddy loves you, and your mama, too
Your daddy loves his girl
Loves his girl
Loves his girl