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The Ballad of John Howard Griffin
Eric Bibb
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๐ฌ๐ง English ยท Original
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Lyrics
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Well, I reckon now's a good time to tell you 'bout a good man
Who tried to help the world finally understand
That it's so wrong to judge another by the color of their skin
That good man's name, John Howard Griffin
John was a white man who just had to know
How it feels to be a black man in the land of Jim Crow
So, he underwent treatments to turn his skin dark brown
Then he headed down South to take a look around
"It's a crazy idea", folks said, "You'll get yourself killed"
But John found a doctor who prescribed special pills
And he laid under a sunlamp, cotton pads on his eyes
Till one day in the mirror, he saw a man he didn't recognize
He knew he'd meet some hard times, but he really got a shock
Life as a black man was harder than a rock
Couldn't find a job, even a restroom to use
I'm talkin' 'bout that Jim Crow, that Jim Crow blues
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Well, John wrote a book, "Black Like Me"
Mighta heard about it, seen him on TV
But in his hometown in Texas, they burnt his effigy
Had to move to Mexico to protect his family
A few years later, back in the land of the free
While John was on a road trip in Mississippi
His car broke down and as he wondered what to do next
Some locals showed up and beat him half to death
They beat John with chains for educatin' the nation
Bein' a truth sayer is a dangerous occupation
Some cheered his dedication to a world free of hatred
Others cursed the man, yellin', "You're a goddamn traitor"
So, I reckon it's a good time to remember "Black Like Me"
Written by a good man who believed in equality
Believed it's wrong to judge another by the color of their skin
That good man's name, John Howard Griffin, oh yeah, John
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Got to learn a lesson like John Howard Griffin
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Oh John, John, John, ain't it hard?
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Now there was a man, remember John Howard Griffin
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I, I hope you know about that man, John Howard Griffin
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John Howard Griffin
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