John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp & Karen Fairchild
John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp
This song is about the Jena Six, six black teenagers from Jena, LA who were controversially charged with attempted murder after beating a white classmate. The beating was part of an escalating string of racially-charged incidents including nooses that were hung at the high school.
An all-white jury hides the executioner's face
See how we are, me and you?
Everyone here needs to know their place
Let's keep this blackbird hidden in the flue
Oh oh oh, Jena
Oh oh oh, Jena
Oh oh oh, Jena
Take your nooses down
So what becomes of boys that cannot think straight
Particularly those with paper-bag skin?
Yes sir, no sir, we'll wipe that smile right off your face
We've got our rules here, and you must fit in
Oh oh oh, Jena
Oh oh oh, Jena
Oh oh oh, Jena
Take your nooses down
[Guitar solo]
Someday some way sanity will prevail
But who knows when that day might come?
A shot in the dark, well, it just might find its way
To the hearts of those that hold the keys to kingdom come
Oh oh oh, Jena
Oh oh oh, Jena
Oh oh oh, Jena
Take those nooses down
Oh oh, hey, Jena
Oh oh, Jena
Oh oh, Jena
Take your nooses down
Take those nooses all down
Jena was written by John Mellencamp.
Jena was produced by T Bone Burnett.
John Mellencamp released Jena on Tue Jul 15 2008.