Young man on his way home from the market
Just enjoying a beautiful afternoon
Gets kinda dark, sun just set

There's these other young men standing
On the corner, nothing to do, just hangin' around
They're passing out their weapons to each other:

Brass knuckles, pipes, chains, half a bricks, broken bottles, switchblades

Young man lands in jail for some crime he did not commit
352 years hard labor in Angola prison - 352 years at hard labor
Sleepless nights between sugar cane and cotton
It's where he learns the ropes and pays with his soul
For some crime he did not commit

We think we're safe at home with our bumper stickers saying, "Just say no"
We give up a few freedoms here and there in the name of a squeaky clean America

Now they've got us hypnotized and hysterical
Now they've got us hypnotized and hysterical
Screaming for blood and justice
Now they've got us hypnotized and hysterical
Screaming for blood and justice

They show us the faces of hatred over and over- a new one every week
Could be Manuel Noriega
Could be the Ayatollah
Any old scapegoat'll do
The young man will be our sacrificial lamb
Pro choice- no choice
We're sending our sons and daughters to their slaughter
Pro choice- no choice
Slogans mean nothing
To a young man facing 352 years hard labor in Angola
For a crime he did not commit
It's freedom of speech, as long as you don't say too much

You can't stop running water
You can't kill the fire that burns inside
Don't deny our flesh and blood
And don't forsake our sons and daughters

You can't stop running water
You can't kill the fire that burns inside
Don't deny our flesh and blood
Don't forsake our sons and daughters

It's freedom of speech - as long as you don't say too much
I think we're all runnin' thinkin' that we can hide
I think we're runnin' tryin' to get away
But sooner or later we gonna realize
We gonna meet up with the truth face to face