Gold Collection: Classic Performances

After you've gone and left me crying,
After you've gone there's no denying,
You'll feel blue, you'll feel sad,
You'll miss the dearest pal you ever had.
There'll come a time, don't you forget it,
There'll come a time when you'll regret it.

Some day when you grow lonely,
Your heart will break like mine and you'll want me only,
After you've gone, after you've gone away.

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

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

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

Ain't no use baby
I'm leaving the scene
Ain't no use baby
You're too doggone mean

Yes I'm tired of paying dues
Having the blues
Hitting bad news
Ain't no use baby

Ain't no use baby
I'm leaving town
Ain't no use daddy
I'm putting you down

I'm gonna change my name
Things won't be the same
'Cause I'm tired of playing your game
Ain't no use baby I tell you ain't no use

I tried all these years Lord knows I've tried
Yes and I cried deep down inside
But daddy why complain
It's all over and you're to blame yeah yeah

Ain't no use baby
Shed them tears
Ain't no use baby
I cried for years for too many years

You done had your fan

Ain't no use
Ain't no use
Ain't no use daddy
Ain't no use

[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?

For all we know
We may never meet again
Before we go
Make this moment live again
We won't say goodbye
Until the last minute
I'll hold out my hand
And my heart will be in it

For all we know
This might only be a dream
We come and we go
Like the ripples, like the ripples in the stream
So baby, love me, love me tonight
Tomorrow was made for some
Oh, but tomorrow
But tomorrow may never, never come
For all we know
Yes, tomorrow may never, never come
For all we know

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