[Verse 1: Ray Davies]
Everybody got the right to speak their mind
So don't shoot me for saying mine
Everybody talking about racial equality
'Cause everybody's equal in the good Lord's eyes
But if I told you that God was black
What would you think of that?
I bet you wouldn't believe it

[Verse 2]
There's a self-made prophet living right next to me
He said the Black Messiah's gonna come and set the whole world free
He looked at me with his evil eye and he prophesied
And he really believed it

[Verse 3]
He said the Black Messiah is gonna set the world on fire
And he's no liar, 'cause he has truly heard the word
Everybody talking about racial equality
But I'm the only honky living on an all black street
They knock me down 'cause they brown and I white
Like you wouldn't believe it

[Verse 4]
They say a Black Messiah is gonna set the world on fire
A Black Messiah is gonna come and rule the world
Everybody talking about racial equality
Everybody talking about equal rights
But white's white, black's black, and that's that
Everybody got the right to speak their mind
So don't shoot me for saying mine
[Verse 5]
Everybody talking about racial equality
Yeah, everybody talking about equal rights
But white's white, black's black, that's that
And that's the way you should leave it

[Verse 6]
Don't want no Black Messiah to come and set the world on fire
A Black Messiah is gonna come and rule the world
Everybody got to show a little give and take
Everybody got to live with a little less hate
Everybody got to work it out, we gotta sort it out
Everybody got the right to speak their mind
So don't shoot me for saying mine