Talking Birmingham Jam

[Verse 1]
Walkin' down to Birmingham
Way down south in Dixieland
Well I thought that I would stop a while
Take a vacation Southern style
Got some Southern hospitality
Down there in a Southern hospital

[Verse 2]
Well, all the signs said welcome in
Signed by Governor Wallace and Rin Tin Tin
They said come along and watch the fights
While we feed our dogs on civil rights
Now don't get us wrong
Some of our best Negroes are friends

[Verse 3]
Well, I've seen travel in many ways
I've traveled in cars and old subways
But in Birmingham some people chose
To fly down the street from a fire hose
Doin' some hard travelin'
From hydrants of plenty

[Verse 4]
Well, a pack of dogs was standin' by
I walked up to them and I said "Hi"
I asked one dog what they all were doin'
He walked up to me and started chewin'
I said, "Hold it, I'm from the A.S.P.C.A."
Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Agitators

[Verse 5]
And I said. "There must be some men around
There can't be only you dogs in town"
They said "Sure we have old Bull Conner
There he goes, walkin' yonder
Throwin' some raw meat to the mayor
Feedin' bones to the City Council"

[Verse 6]
You know Governor Wallace doesn't mean no harm
Can't you see he's got a lotta charm
He's protecting us whites, both rich and poor
Standin' in the schoolhouse door
Crackin' jokes, talkin' to Huntley-Brinkley
Serving jury duty, gettin' re-elected

[Verse 7]
So, I asked 'em why they spent their time
With segregation on their mind
They said "If you don't like to live this way
Get outta here, go back to the U.S.A.
Live with all them Russians
New York folksingers"

[Verse 8]
Some say they've passed their darkest hour
Those moderates are back in power
Oh, they listen close with open ears
They'll help us out in a couple of hundred years
But don't push 'em, whatever you do
Or else you get those extremists back in

[Verse 9]
You see Alabama is a sovereign state
With sovereign dogs and sovereign hate
They stand for the Bible, for the Constitution
They stand against Communist revolution
They say "It's pinkos like you that freed the slaves"
And they're right