We jump 'round the ring, and we loosen your reigns
I heard the man was roamin' free, now he's livin' in chains
Woah wo, everywhere I got the world in tow,
no matter where I turn I got to carry its load.
Well Shoeshine Brother thinks I'm so naive;
lookin' at me thinkin' I got something hidden up my sleeve.
No, Sirree, I'm cool as can be;
I got no money, but I'm always feelin' free, free, free.
So what you think you're doin'; who do you think you are?
Drinkin' bottles of whiskey, smokin' Cuban cigars;
Think if you act like a man, you can alter this wheel;
You can make it in this world without that blood on your bootheels
Well get your head right, a-put your keys up on the table
while they polishin' their pistols,
and they're staring out the windows
Wonderin' who's a comin' down my gate,
hey, pick a side, Love, tie your boots up
and then get your a** in line.
Well see them [swirlers got the bub?]
it's a wonder that they'll ever see the light of day,
with people like you walkin' on the street.
If police were policin' then I probably wouldn't
have to follow him every step of his feet.
They look me in the eye, and they look me in the face,
and they review my fate, say my name [raise your name?],
son grab your gun and run, ah, you got no appeal;
you can make it in this world without that blood on your bootheels.
I have a dream too; you think I ain't got dreams?
When I close my eyes and sleep, only thing I can believe in:
my religion I envision murderin' everything livin'
when I'm cookin' up my goddamn future in the kitchen.
What makes you all my favorite mess,
a vision of a blackened head bent over a fence;
took a beatin' to his head, forty bullets to his chest;
Now with one hand on the bible, claimed it was in self-defense.
I read all those books, yeah I seen all them films,
I bet you got a pretty degree up in your window sill.
Well leave me out of it; people like me don't live to feel
we can make it in this world without that blood on our bootheels.