jerry freemann

1 a road sign says you cannot go
I really don’t know why that’s so
the next one says that going’s fine
although it looks bit out of line

2 there are some people who won’t move
while others shout and don’t approve
I think some reason should go there
I guess there’s problem in the air

chorus 1
so I decided to look on
and wonder what that’s for and why
when it is over I’ll be gone
cause I am just a passer-by



3 a flag is there and some salute
and their devotion’s absolute
while others just laugh in their face
and take the honour with all grace

4 some people shout that it’s not right
some others are prepared to fight
I think some reason’s coming near
but what it does is still not clear

chorus 2
so I decided just to stay
to see then what that’s for and why
and when it ends I’ll go away
cause I am just a passer-by



5 a cupid lingers there above
with some sharp arrows full of love
now one such arrow’s in my heart
so shall I wait for love to start

6 you tell me looking in my eyes
that it’s for me you moved the skies
the reason tells me that it’s real
and it’s pure love that I should feel

chorus 3
so I decided just to wait
to check then what that’s for and why
I’ll go when all this turns to hate
cause I am just a passer-by


outro
don’t shout if I misunderstand
I’m still not sure although I try
it’s hard to read signs in the sand
cause I am just a passer-by

1 the evening comes the evening goes
and that what happens when time flows
another one will come again
and we will worry bout it then

2 a small town night a small town bar
below a distant shining star
some local folks out in the night
to have a few and have a fight

chorus 1
and then it’s time to go the road awaits
I’m pretty sure I paid all that I owed
before I leave and then you lock the gates
one drink for me and one more for the road



3 a local guy thinks he can more
and then he falls down to the floor
a small town girl tried to impress
I must admit there’s no success

4 a barmaid pours another drink
and if she likes you she may wink
I buy two drinks give two big tips
she smiles at me then pouts her lips

chorus 2
and then it’s time to go the road awaits
I’m pretty sure I paid all that I owed
before I leave and then you lock the gates
one kiss for me and one more for the road


5 a small town mind will always say
from here it’s hard to get away
once born and bread in this small town
where you come from you will lie down

6 a lucky star will shine above
unlucky ones still search for love
a lucky charm gets really old
unlucky ones still search for gold

chorus 3
and then it’s time to go the road awaits
I’m pretty sure I paid all that I owed
before I leave and then you lock the gates
one luck for me and one more for the road



outro
and then it’s time to go the road awaits
I’m pretty sure I paid all that I owed
before I leave and then you lock the gates
one drink for me
one kiss for me
one luck for me and one more for the road

the time has come to say enough
they say we’re week we called their bluff
the time has come to clench the fists
and our pride insists

there’s so much we can tolerate
but patience slowly changed to hate
there’s so much that we can endure
now fighting is the cure

downtrodden we were for so long
but now it’s time we must get strong
we were abused for what we are
but this has gone too far

so many of us had to die
and no one cares then when we cry
so many spilled blood and shed tears
with lives of constant fears



but now a straw did break the camel’s back
but now a knee took life cause it was black
but now the shackles will be cast away
the world will hear us all because we say

we will be slaves no more
we will rise up from the floor
now we will stand and fight
cause we know that we are right

we will not live in pain
and we will not cry in vain
we will fight till we’re free
from a sea to shining sea



common let’s go
let’s start the show
common let’s roll
to save o’r soul

1 lying firmly on the ground
that’s where worthless things are found
handcuffs squeeze the wrists behind your back
you will plead but you will fail
you will beg to no avail
soon your consciousness will fade to black

2 with life dying in your heart
you and hope too far apart
no one will be coming to your aid
you are catching your last breath
feeling overwhelmed by death
they don’t care that you begged and you prayed


3 yet another murdered bro
with the whole world watching though
everyone for sure could see your face
we could hear your pleading cries
we could see your waning eyes
when death held you in its cold embrace

4 you were murdered on the spot
life’s most precious thing you’ve got
but the crooked law took it away
you were murdered on that site
they told us that it was right
everyone could see your final day


chorus
you’ve got less than nine minutes to live
cause that knee in your neck won’t forgive
you’ve get less than nine minutes to try
with wrong colour the odds are you’ll die

outro
here we come we will fight till we win
it’s high time for new life to begin
never more will we hide in deep shame
no more good faces on a bad game

bridge 1
that knee brings you despair
it cuts all hope and air
like bullet or a knife
it coldly takes your life

bridge 2
I cannot breathe you said
before they made you dead
but you won’t die in vain
we will avenge your pain

1 the pain we’ve felt for years
we tried to beg and plead
we shed so many tears
but all we did was bleed

2 the grip was very tight
we sang a pleading song
they told us they were right
they told us we were wrong

3 the pain of all the lies
the victims and their blood
despair in our eyes
each promise was a dud

4 the laws were really void
cause they were not obeyed
the families destroyed
and justice just delayed

bridge 1
but now it’s time to say no more
it’s our rights that we strive for
it’s our wish not to be killed
don’t tread on our fresh blood spilled

bridge 2
we reached the point of no return
a hundred million hearts will burn
as many fists are in the air
and now we fight cause now we dare

chorus
the knee went in too deep
some lives were really cheep
it’s time for us to strive
cause we just want to be alive

post chorus 1
before it is too late
before love turns to hate
before next one is dead
and ‘I can’t breathe’ is said

post chorus 2
before some words of pain
are uttered all in vain
before another knee
ignores another plea

1 the laws were made so many years ago
to guard us all across the land
and they make sure that out states will grow
and people can make them expand

2 they claim that there is justice for us all
but we just know it’s just a lie
cause some just see their liberty forestall
while some can spread their wings and fly

pre chorus 1
and you know all too well
the old pretences fell
cause we can take no more
we’re ready for a war


3 how come some people can have all the choice
the laws protect their wicket ways
while others beg in pain but have no voice
they toil but others take the praise

4 the law says clearly we have equal rights
but we all know that it’s not true
despite the marches speeches blood and fights
and change for decades has been due

pre chorus 2
it’s time to say enough
and we have to get tough
cause way too many cried
and way to many died


chorus
do you have a knee
and is that for me
when I’m gonna plead
then suffocate and bleed

do you have a knee
how hard will it be
when I face the ground
and die by handcuffs bound




5 some lives are really precious some are not
complexion tells you which is which
it does not matter how hard they have fought
they lose to powerful and rich

6 today the blood spilled tells us that we fail
to make the country strong and great
it’s obvious that oppression can’t prevail
when hearts of gold are filled with hate

pre chorus 3
when one side’s always right
to make their future bright
we have to right that wrong
we must be tough and strong

1 there’s liberty they say for all
and justice too goes hand in hand
but sometimes both these truths will stall
that’s something I don’t understand

2 the law they told me is all blind
but I don’t know if it is true
some colours often look behind
when they see cruisers coming through

pre chorus 1
protected by the laws
that may have serious flaws
the colour will decide
which laws will be applied

double chorus
please take your knee
I cannot breath
with all respect
your job is to protect

please take your knee
stop killing me
I need some air
and you are here to care




3 they say life’s fair but that’s a lie
some people get the easy way
some others much more often die
but that’s just one more normal day

4 the lynching went for ever on
the civil rights sometimes are week
the equal chances seem all gone
how long shall victims just stay meek

pre chorus 2
the system claims it’s right
so do not try to fight
the system’s very strong
and you are in the wrong

double bridge
but everybody has that point
when they can’t take no more
your rage will curl each knuckle joint
you’re burning to the core

there’s so much everyone can take
and then the patience goes
it’s time to fight demand and break
don’t let your rights foreclose

1 we have o’r eyes to look and see
I look at you you look at me
I see you face in morning light
and want to say oh what a sight

2 we have o’r hands to hug and shake
with them we give and we can take
I make a sign then with my hand
no words but you can understand

pre chorus 1
and we have also knees to boot
a weapon if one is a brute
so I can put it what the heck
deep into your downtrodden neck

chorus 1
I have my knee down all the way
‘I cannot breathe’ I heard you say
but that knee’s deep there’s no way back
cause I am white and you are black

3 we have o’r hearts to love and care
the feelings that we all should share
your heart is good and mine is too
and my affection is for you

4 we have o’r minds so we can think
and not to be the weakest link
cause reasoning is really smart
if you can join it with your heart

pre chorus 2
and we have also knees to boot
I use it and don’t have to shoot
you’re lying pinned down to the ground
I’ll keep you there cold and earthbound

chorus 2
I have me knee down all the way
‘I cannot breathe’ I heard you say
but that knee’s deep and it’s all right
cause you are black and I am white

double bridge
another murder in the street
job done go home it’s time to eat
when cruisers come you’d better run
cause being black here is no fun

another murder and more tears
some live in constant pain and fears
when they say justice is for all
some die in pain some can stand tall