Well I woke up this morning
And I made a resolution
I said, "I'm never going to sing
Another sad song again."
I decided I'd admit it
I am not an intellectual
No the words, they never come easy
Unless I'm singing them
And the hills that I was born in
Will never leave me
No matter how hard I try
And then my brother was murdered
While my father was in prison
And the girl that I sometimes loved
Up and moved away
And my body filled up with blackness
And the darkness, it wanted to drown me
And I heard my father's footsteps catching up to me
And he took me by the shoulders
And he said, "Son, my hands are strong
But I hope you have the strength to shake us free
Shake us free, boy
Shake us free, my son
You'd better shake us free."
And now I'm lying in a van
In Chicago in the springtime
And the rain outside that's falling
Sounds just like popcorn
But before I open my eyes
I think I'll make this resolution
'No, I'm never going to sing another
Sad song for as long as I live!'
And the light coming through the window
Is making everything glow
And he took me by the shoulders and he said
"Son, I know my hands are strong
But I hope you have the strength
To shake us free
Shake us free
Shake us free
Shake us free, my son!"
I made a resolution
I made a resolution
I made a resolution
I made a resolution