“Shah Mot” is a poem and song by Gil Scott-Heron that aims to portray the similarities in the struggles of the Iranians during the Iranian Revolution and of Black Americans against the American oppression.
My name is what's your name
I am the voice of same
Remembering things that I told me yesterday
My name is what's your name
I am inside your frame
We saw the devils
Had to make them go away
My name is what's your name
You may reject my claim
But I expect that you won't vary from the norm
My name is what's your name
Ours is a single aim
And we can double recognize the needed form
Take it to the street
Tell everybody you meet
You do whatever, you do whatever you feel the wardrum beat
Put it in the air
Spread it everywhere
You do whatever you do whatever, you know you got to be there
Shah mot!
You only take it as a symbol
Look closely, who does it resemble?
My name is what's your name
If you recall the change
Then you can dig that we've been put into a trance
My name is what to do
I am inside of you
I've been here ever since the day you learned to stand
My name is what's your name
Born on the wings of strain
Ours is a justice that has long been overdue
My name is what to do
But we already knew
And now the clouds of when and how come into view
Shah mot!
Take it to the street
Tell everybody you meet
You do whatever you do whenever you hear the wardrum beat
Shah mot!
Put it in the air
Spread it everywhere
You do whatever you do whenever you know you got to be there
Shah mot!
You only take it as a symbol
(Shah mot!)
Look closely, who does it resemble?
My name is what's your name
I am the voice of sane
Remembering things that I told me yesterday
My name is what's your name
I am inside your frame
We saw the devils
Had to make them go away
Shah mot!
Take it to the street
Tell everybody you meet
You do whatever you do whenever you hear the wardrum beat
Shah mot!
Put it in the air
Spread it everywhere
You do whatever you do whenever you know you got to be there
Shah mot!
You only take it as a symbol
Look closely, who does it resemble?
[repeat]
Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson released Shah Mot (The Shah is Dead / Checkmate) on Tue Jan 01 1980.