Gold Collection: Classic Performances

To be young, gifted and black,
Oh what a lovely precious dream
To be young, gifted and black,
Open your heart to what I mean

In the whole world you know
There are billion boys and girls
Who are young, gifted and black,
And that's a fact!

Young, gifted and black
We must begin to tell our young
There's a world waiting for you
This is a quest that's just begun

When you feel really low
Yeah, there's a great truth you should know
When you're young, gifted and black
Your soul's intact

Young, gifted and black
How I long to know the truth
There are times when I look back
And I am haunted by my youth

Oh but my joy of today
Is that we can all be proud to say
To be young, gifted and black
Is where it's at

When I was in my prime, I flourished like a vine.
Along there came a false young man, come stole the heart of mine.
Come stole the heart of mine

The gardener standing by, three offers he made me.
The pink, the violet, and red rose, which I refused all three.
Which I refused all three

The pink's no flower at all, it fades away too soon.
The violet is too pale a bloom, I think I'll wait till June
I think I'll wait till June

In June the red rose blooms, but it`s not the flower for me.
It's then I'll uproot the red, red rose, and plant a willow tree.
And plant a willow tree

And the willow tree shall weep and the willow tree shall mourn.
How I wish I were in my young man's arms who stole the heart of mine.
Who stole the heart of mine

And if I'm spared young year more, and if God should grant me grace.
I'll weep a bowl of crystal tears, and wash his deceitful face.
And wash his deceitful face.

I'll look around
And when I've found me somebody who laughs like you
I know somewhere spring must fill the air with sweetness
Just as rare as a flower that you gave me to wear

So I'll look around
Sweetheart and when I've found me somebody
Somebody who laughs like you
I'll know this love that I've been dreaming of
And it won't be the old love that I always knew

Mmm who laughs like you
I know somewhere spring must fill the air with sweetness
Just as rare as a flower that you gave me to wear

So I'll look around
And when I've found me somebody who laughs like you
I'll know this love that I've been dreaming of
And it won't be the old love that I always knew

Ain't got no home, ain't got no shoes
Ain't got no money, ain't got no class
Ain't got no friends, ain't got no schooling
Ain't got no wear, ain't got no job
Ain't got no money, no place to stay

Ain't got no father, ain't got no mother
Ain't got no children, ain't got no sisters above
Ain't got no earth, ain't got no faith
Ain't got no touch, ain't got no god
Ain't got no love

Ain't got no wine, no cigarettes
Ain't got no clothes, no country
No class, no schooling
No friends, no nothing
Ain't got no god
Ain't got one more

Ain't got no earth, no ?
No food, no home
I said I ain't got no clothes
No job, no nothing
Ain't got long to live
And I ain't got no love

But what have I got?
Let me tell ya what I've got
That nobody's gonna take away

I got my hair on my head
I got my brains, I got my ears
I got my eyes, I got my nose
I dot my mouth, I got my smile

I got my tongue, I got my chin
I got my neck, I got my boobies
I got my heart, I got my soul
I got my back, I got my sex

I got my arms, I got my hands
I got my fingers, got my legs
I got my feet, I got my toes
I got my liver, got my blood

Got life, I got my life

Step out in the night
When you're lonely
Listening for the sounds
That your ears don't hear

I know your cross is heavier
With every step, every step
But I know a man
And he'd walk miles for you

Stop, you stay where you are
Take a look at yourself
Take a good look at yourself

Can tell your momma
She'd only tell ya
That she told you so

The life you're leading
She won't believe
The riches of life
We all know

Dawn turns to day
And the dawning
Daytime, nighttime
And we still can't see

Why must we wait
Until the morning light
To wake up and be
Wake up and be

Wake up and be
Wake up and be
Wake up and be

Step out in the night
When you're lonely
Listen for the sounds
That your ears don't hear

I know your cross is heavier
With every step, every step
But I know a man
Who'd walk miles for you

Stop, you stay where you are
Take a look at yourself
Take a good look at yourself

Can tell your momma
She'd only tell ya
That she told you so

The life you're leading
She won't believe
The riches of life
We all know

Can tell your momma
She'd only tell ya
That she told you so

The life you're leading
She won't believe
The riches of life
We all know

[Repeat x2]
If it hadn't been for cotton-eye Joe
I'd been married long time ago
Where did you come from. Where did you go?
Where did you come from cotton-eye Joe?

He came to town like a midwinter storm
He rode through the fields so
Handsome and strong
His eyes was his tools and his smile was his gun
But all he had come for was having some fun

If it hadn't been for cotton-eye Joe
I'd been married long time ago
Where did you come from. Where did you go?
Where did you come from cotton-eye Joe?

He brought disaster wherever he went
The hearts of the girls was to hell broken sent
They all ran away so nobody would know
And left only men cause of cotton-eye Joe

If it hadn't been for cotton-eye Joe
I'd been married long time ago
Where did you come from. Where did you go?
Where did you come from cotton-eye Joe?

I loves you, Porgy,
Don't let him take me
Don't let him handle me
And drive me mad
If you can keep me
I wanna stay here with you forever
And I'll be glad

Yes I loves you, Porgy,
Don't let him take me
Don't let him handle me
With his hot hands
If you can keep me
I wants to stay here with you forever
I've got my man

I loves you, Porgy,
Don't let him take me
Don't let him handle me
And drive me mad
If you can keep me
I wanna stay here with you forever
I've got my man

Someday I know he's coming to call me
He's going to handle me and hold me
So, it' going to be like dying, Porgy
When he calls me
But when he comes I know I'll have to go

I loves you, Porgy,
Don't let him take me
Honey, don't let him handle me
And drive me mad
If you can keep me
I wanna stay here with you forever
I've got my man

Lost in day to day
Turned another way
With a laugh, a kind hello
Some small talk with those I know
I forget that I'm not over you
For a while

A wave an easy grin
A smile to put them in
With other lives to listen to
And some work I've got to do
I forget that I'm not over you
For a while

Days go by with no empty feeling
Until I remember you're gone

People say to me, you need company
When you have some time to spend
Drop around and meet a friend
They forget that I'm not over you
For a while
They forget that I'm not over you
For a while

The name of this tune is Mississippi Goddam
And I mean every word of it

Alabama's gotten me so upset
Tennessee made me lose my rest
And everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam

Alabama's gotten me so upset
Tennessee made me lose my rest
And everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam

Can't you see it
Can't you feel it
It's all in the air
I can't stand the pressure much longer
Somebody say a prayer

Alabama's gotten me so upset
Tennessee made me lose my rest
And everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam

This is a show tune
But the show hasn't been written for it, yet

Hound dogs on my trail
School children sitting in jail
Black cat cross my path
I think every day's gonna be my last

Lord have mercy on this land of mine
We all gonna get it in due time
I don't belong here
I don't belong there
I've even stopped believing in prayer

Don't tell me
I tell you
Me and my people just about due
I've been there so I know
They keep on saying 'Go slow!'

But that's just the trouble
'Do it slow'
Washing the windows
'Do it slow'
Picking the cotton
'Do it slow'
You're just plain rotten
'Do it slow'
You're too damn lazy
'Do it slow'
The thinking's crazy
'Do it slow'
Where am I going
What am I doing
I don't know
I don't know

Just try to do your very best
Stand up be counted with all the rest
For everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam

I made you thought I was kiddin'

Picket lines
School boy cots
They try to say it's a communist plot
All I want is equality
For my sister my brother my people and me

Yes you lied to me all these years
You told me to wash and clean my ears
And talk real fine just like a lady
And you'd stop calling me Sister Sadie

Oh but this whole country is full of lies
You're all gonna die and die like flies
I don't trust you any more
You keep on saying 'Go slow!'
'Go slow!'

But that's just the trouble
'Do it slow'
Desegregation
'Do it slow'
Mass participation
'Do it slow'
Reunification
'Do it slow'
Do things gradually
'Do it slow'
But bring more tragedy
'Do it slow'
Why don't you see it
Why don't you feel it
I don't know
I don't know

You don't have to live next to me
Just give me my equality
Everybody knows about Mississippi
Everybody knows about Alabama
Everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam