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14 May 11 - 06:42 PM (#3154198) Subject: Lyr Req: Crisis In Arkansas (Lord Invader) From: MorwenEdhelwen1 Does anyone have the lyrics of "Crisis In Arkansas", a protest song for the admittance of the Little Rock Nine into what were then all white high schools? The chorus is: "So take off that black bow tie, lay-oh! And that black tuxedo, you hate our guts yet you're wearing black, please take off everything black off your back." |
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14 May 11 - 06:49 PM (#3154201) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Crisis In Arkansas (Lord Invader) From: MorwenEdhelwen1 EDIT: that should be in "what was then an all-white high school". And another correction, this song was written in the period after Governor Faubus admitted the Little Rock Nine but closed other schools to Black students. |
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16 May 11 - 05:43 AM (#3154936) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Crisis In Arkansas (Lord Invader) From: MorwenEdhelwen1 refresh. |
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17 May 11 - 11:40 AM (#3155751) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Crisis In Arkansas (Lord Invader) From: Jim Dixon You can hear Lord Invader singing CRISIS IN ARKANSAS at YouTube. I listened, but I find it very hard to understand. I might post later with partial lyrics. |
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19 May 11 - 05:36 PM (#3157204) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Crisis In Arkansas (Lord Invader) From: Jim Dixon It turned out to be easier than I thought, but there are still gaps in my transcription. I think if we could get a few more people to listen and contribute suggestions, we could complete this. I have numbered the lines for easy reference. CRISIS IN ARKANSAS As sung by Lord Invader 1. Yes, Governor Faubus, are you delirious? 2. If not, show me the reason why you [are] so hard on us. 3. Governor Faubus, are you delirious? 4. If not, show me the reason why you are against us. 5. In Arkansas you're making ...(?) 6. ...(?) whites and ...(?) too. 7. If I had my way, I'd surely go down 8. With a ...(?) and become that governor's ...(?) 9. Please take off that black bowtie, lay-o! 10. And that black tuxedo. 11. You're calling us names, yet you're wearing black. 12. Please take off everything black off your back. 13. Did you ever stop to think that [if] you're a human. 14. You will be a humanitarian? 15. Instead, you are encouraging segregation 16. And do not believe in integration. 17. But God made us all and in Him we trust. 18. Nobody in this world is better than us. 19. One day you will be made to realize 20. ...(?) would make us all of one size. 21. So take off that black bowtie, lay-o! 22. And that black tuxedo. 23. You hate all us blacks, yet you're wearing black. 24. Please take off everything black off your back. 25. Some said it's for political reason 26. Why you are such a naïve person, 27. But of late you have studied, everyone knows, 28. That you have a fear for ...(?). 29. That's why you are violating every law, 30. And ...(?) up pistols in Arkansas. 31. I think that if I can ...(?), 32. You are afraid of the Negroes' intelligence. 33. So take off that black bowtie, lay-o! 34. And that black tuxedo. 35. You hate all us blacks, yet you're wearing black. 36. Please take off everything black off your back. 37. In my opinion, there's nothing but ...(?) action 38. Depriving the kids of their education 39. When they can become eminent lawyers 40. Politicians, scientists and doctors 41. Like Clayton Powell or ...(?) 42. Doctor ...(?), Doctor ...(?). 43. Then they can climb the ladder of fame 44. And utilize their art on the ...(?). 45. So take off that black bowtie, lay-o! 46. And that black tuxedo. 47. You hate all us blacks, yet you're wearing black. 48. Please take off everything black off your back. |
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19 May 11 - 06:41 PM (#3157229) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Crisis In Arkansas (Lord Invader) From: MorwenEdhelwen1 Thanks, Jim! I think it's "or Bustamante" on line 41. "your own laws and rules" in line 5. Does anyone want to listen and add their own lyrics to Jim's transcription? |
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02 Jun 14 - 08:07 AM (#3629706) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Crisis In Arkansas (Lord Invader) From: Azizi Here's the lyrics to this song from its record notes: CRISIS IN ARKANSAS (Lord Invader) Yes, Governor Faubus, are you delirious? If not, show me the reason why you against us Governor Faubus, are you delirious? If not, show me the reason why you against us. Negroes not wanted with Whites in the same school If I had my way, I'd surely go down with a chain tongue And break that governor's tongue. Chorus: Please take off that black bowtie, lay-o! And that black tuxedo. You're calling us names, yet you're wearing black. Please take off everything black off your back. If you ever stop to think that we are all human You will be a humanitarian. Instead, you are encouraging segregation And do not believe in integration. But God made us all and in him we trust. Nobody in this world is better than us. One day you will be made to realize Six feet of earth makes us all of one size. So take off that black bowtie, lay-o! And that black tuxedo. You hate all us blacks, yet you're wearing black. Please take off everything black off your back. Some said it's for political reason Why you are such a naïve person, But of late you have studied, everyone knows, That you have a fear for us Negroes. That's why you are violating every law, And closing up the schools in Arkansas. I think that is high class ignorance You are afraid of the Negroes' intelligence. So take off that black bowtie, lay-o! And that black tuxedo. You hate all us blacks, yet you're wearing black. Please take off everything black off your back. In my opinion, there's nothing but gorilla action Depriving the kids of their education When they can become eminent lawyers Politicians, scientists and doctors Like Clayton Powell or Bustamante Doctor Ralph Bunche or Doctor Maloney Then they can climb the ladder of fame And utilize their atomic brain. So take off that black bowtie, lay-o! And that black tuxedo. You hate all us blacks, yet you're wearing black. Please take off everything black off your back. -snip- Lyrics and notes from John Cowley about that song from http://media.smithsonianfolkways.org/liner_notes/smithsonian_folkways/SFW40454.pdf [Song #23 in the record "Calypso In New York"] : [Information about the crisis in Arkansas] ..."With [Lord Invader's] civil rights credentials established by his interpretation of "God Made Us All", Invader used lines from the earlier song in the second verse of "Crisis In Arkansas". Trenchantly, he points to inconsistencies in the segregationist position and identifies the benefits of education to Black people in the United States and the Caribbean. " Adam Clayton Powell 1908-1972 an outspoken advocate of civil rights, and US representative (1945-67 and 1969-71) Alexander Bustamante- Jamaican labor leader and politician who served as chief minister (1935-55) and prime minister (1962-67) Dr. Ralph Johnson Bunche (1904-1971), First African American to be a division head in the US Dept of State, he later served with the United Nations Dr. Alfred Hamilton Maloney, (1888-1955), a Trinidadian who became Professor and Head of the department of Pharmacology of Howard University, Washington, D.C. He was also author of books on race and politics. -snip- I published a post about that song which includes those lyrics & notes and a YouTube sound file on my cultural blog: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/06/lord-invader-crisis-in-arkansas-sound.html |
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03 Jun 14 - 02:31 PM (#3630018) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Crisis In Arkansas (Lord Invader) From: Jim Dixon Azizi! It's good to hear from you again! And thanks for completing the song. |
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04 Jun 14 - 05:35 PM (#3630365) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Crisis In Arkansas (Lord Invader) From: Azizi Greetings, Jim! Thank you & MorwenEdhelwen1 for bringing this song to my attention and others' attention. Best wishes, Azizi |