Son if it was up to me Son don't you understand Born down in a dead man's town The first kick I took was when hit the ground You end up like dog that's been beat too much 'Til you spend half your life just coverin' U.S.A born Got little hometown jam So they put rifle my hand Sent me off to foreign land To go and kill yellow man Come back home refinery Hiring says Went see V.A. He said had brother at Khe Sanh Fighting Viet Cong They're still there he's all gone woman he loved Saigon got picture of him her arms now Down shadow penitentiary Out by gas fires I'm ten years burning road Nowhere run ain't nowhere U.S.A. long Daddy cool rockin' gather ’round people Wherever roam And admit that waters Around have grown accept it soon You’ll be drenched bone If time is worth savin’ Then better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink stone For times are a-changin’ writers critics Who prophesize with pen keep eyes wide chance won’t come again don’t speak wheel’s spin there’s no tellin’ who it’s namin’ loser will later win senators congressmen Please heed call Don’t stand doorway block hall gets hurt Will has stalled There’s battle outside ragin’ It’ll shake windows rattle walls mothers fathers Throughout criticize What can’t understand Your sons daughters Are beyond command old rapidly agin’ get out new one if lend line drawn curse cast slow fast As present past order fadin’ last Little somethin' for godson Elijah girl named Corin Some say blacker berry sweeter juice darker flesh then deeper roots give holler sisters on welfare Tupac cares don't nobody else care uh know ya lot When around block brothas clown But please cry dry eyes never let Forgive but forget girl head tells nuttin' believe can't learn love you should leave 'Cause sista need tryin' up 'em how (you him) makes unhappy? (What's that?) make babies young mother pappy (oh yeah yeah) since we came from our name game (yeah wonder why take women Why rape women do hate women? (Why? Why?) think it's (why? Why? Time heal real we'll race That ladies baby) right tell where create men you're fed Keep ooh child things gonna easier Keep-keep things'll brighter (ohh) Ayo remember Marvin Gaye used sing feelin' black thing suddenly ghetto didn't seem so tough though rough always enough huffed puffed about curfew broke rules Ran local crew smoke two realize momma really paid price She nearly gave life raise pipe dream Of I'd rock mic bright screen dollar fifteen cents It's hard legit pay rent seems headin' try find friends they're blowin' wind Last night buddy lost his whole family conquer this insanity (no no no) It rain'll gettin' wet know funny rains pours They money wars feed poor Said hope youth truth future crazy blame turning into crack baby We meant survive 'cause setup even Huh uh ladies havin' own kinda rough alone Daddy's left lonesome Thank Lord kids want (left yourself) can it fact sure fall tall comeback more nothin' worse than son Wants daddy mo' complain dealt Hell without man helpless Because there's many deal Dying inside looking fearless While tears rollin' cheeks Ya steady hopin' week did couldn't given world son's older cold From shoulders rich kids drivin' Benz hold survivin' friends crazy it'll Please Well we're living here Allentown closing factories Bethlehem killing Filling forms Standing fought Second World War Spent their weekends Jersey Shore Met USO Asked them dance Danced restlessness handed getting very stay waiting Pennsylvania found promises teachers worked behaved graduations hang wall helped us No taught what Iron coke chromium steel they've taken coal union crawled away Every child pretty good shot least as far something happened way place threw an American flag face won't today This California New York island redwood forest Gulf Stream made went walking ribbon highway saw above endless skyway Saw below golden valley roamed rambled I've followed footsteps sparkling sands diamond deserts All voice sounding sun shining strolling wheat fields waving dust clouds rolling chanting fog lifting a-chanting