Backlash Blues (Live At Montreux)

Oh

Mr. blacklash, Mr. Backlash
Who'd you think I am?
You raise my taxes
Freeze my wages in my only son
Son in Vietnam
You see what happened there?
You give me second class houses
The second class schools
You know all colored people
In this country got to be second class fools
And it’s true, now
That's the truth, now
That's the truth, now

Hey, but I got something on you!
I know how to leave you, with a little blues
Ah! Hey, hey
When I try to find a job
Get a little cash
Are you gonna hand me
Give your two cent backlash?
Put the words big
Big, and bright, and round, and black and round
Full of other folks like me who’re black, beige and brown
Backlash, and Kissinger
I'm gonna leave and you already gottem!
Oh, the blues!

[Spoken]
(Ah ha) Give the drummer some
Like O'Dellis said last night:
"If you don't get loose now, you better forget it
Because you ain't got much time- none of us do"
I think the Rolling Stones say we got five years?

When my daughter tries to find a little job to earn a little cash
All you got to offer her is your stupid, same, stupid, old mean backlash
But the world is big, it all it's a-
Big and bright and round
And it's full of other folks just like me who are Japanese, black and beige and brown
Oh! Mr. Backlash, you are not the only one
That's-a what you’ve been thinking
I’m gonna leave ya
I'm gonna leave ya
I’m gonna leave you with the blues, oh. yeah
Get it, get it, get it, get it, get it, get it, get it baby
Mhm-hm, mhm-hm, mhm, mhm, uh-hm-mhm-hm, yeah, do another one
Mhm
(It's alright, it's alright)

Mr. Backlash, Mr. Backlash, I'm gonna tell you now
Langston Hughes died
He told me many months ago
He said, "Nina, I know it’s been hard for you, baby
I know how hard it's been for ya. They never wanted to accept ya!"
Black!
(You see that brother down there looking at the cieling?)
And white! (A bit easier...)
But the blacks
Never, never
(Yeah I'm gonna tell you the truth tonight)
He said, "Nina
Keep on working
'Till they open up the door
You know you are
And you know you've either been here or you never been here before
Don't make no difference
And when they open up the door
Make sure
You tell 'em where it's at
So they'll have no other place to hide behind all them strange hats"
So I'm gonna leave you, Mr. Blues!

*Applause*