People Speak, The movie - Only A Pawn In Their Game lyrics
rate meA bullet from the back of a bush took Medgar Evers' blood<br>
A finger fired the trigger to his name<br>
A handle hid out in the dark<br>
A hand set the spark<br>
Two eyes took the aim<br>
Behind a man's brain<br>
But he can't be blamed<br>
He's only a pawn in their game.<br>
<br>
A South politician preaches to the poor white man<br>
"You got more than blacks, don't complain<br>
You're better than them, you been born with white skin" they explain<br>
And the Negro's name<br>
Is used it is plain<br>
For the politician's gain<br>
As he rises to fame<br>
And the poor white remains<br>
On the caboose of the train<br>
But it ain't him to blame<br>
He's only a pawn in their game.<br>
<br>
The deputy sheriffs, the soldiers, the governors get paid<br>
And the marshals and cops get the same<br>
But the poor white man's used in the hands of them all like a tool<br>
He's taught in his school<br>
From the start by the rule<br>
That the laws are with him<br>
To protect his white skin<br>
To keep up his hate<br>
So he never thinks straight<br>
'Bout the shape that he's in<br>
But it ain't him to blame<br>
He's only a pawn in their game.<br>
<br>
From the powerty shacks, he looks from the cracks to the tracks<br>
And the hoof beats pound in his brain<br>
And he's taught how to walk in a pack<br>
Shoot in the back<br>
With his fist in a clinch<br>
To hang and to lynch<br>
To hide 'neath the hood<br>
To kill with no pain<br>
Like a dog on a chain<br>
He ain't got no name<br>
But it ain't him to blame<br>
He's only a pawn in their game.<br>
<br>
Today, Medgar Evers was buried from the bullet he caught<br>
They lowered him down as a king<br>
But when the shadowy sun sets on the one<br>
That fired the gun<br>
He'll see by his grave<br>
On the stone that remains<br>
Carved next to his name<br>
His epitaph plain:<br>
Only a pawn in their game.<br>
<br>