|
|
Content Warning: This song depicts racist ideas and language of the time and may be offensive or upsetting to listeners. |
17 This is How It’s Done
BERT:
THIS IS HOW IT’S DONE, RIGHT?
BURN THE CORK, TURN THE ASH IN OIL.
KINKY WIGS AND FUNNY WALKS,
TALK DA WAY DA DARKIES TALKS.
THIS IS HOW IT’S DONE.
THIS WILL MAKE THEM LAUGH, RIGHT?
BLACK IT UP, PUT THE WAR PAINT ON.
TELL THEM JOKES AND TELL THEM LIES,
WHILE ANOTHER BLACK MAN DIES.
THIS WILL MAKE THEM LAUGH.
DID I HELP MY BROTHERS, DID I LIFT OUR RACE?
DID I JUST FEEL FREEST WHEN I HID MY FACE?
DID THE CORKS I BURN ONCE HOLD CHAMPAGNE IN PLACE
THAT THEY DRANK TO TOAST THE MEN THEY CHASE?
THIS IS WHAT COMES NEXT, RIGHT?
WIPE THE PAINT, TILL YOUR HANDS ARE CLEAN.
PUT THE WIG UPON YOUR HEAD.
DON’T THINK OF ALL THE MEN WHO BLED.
THIS IS WHAT COMES NEXT.
WHY MUST EV’RY ACTION, WHY MUST EV’RY TRAIT,
FROM MY RATTY COSTUMES TO MY COMIC GAIT,
WRITE A GRANDER STORY THAT DIRECTS OUR FATE?
AND IS IT NOW JUST TOO DAMN LATE?
THIS IS HOW IT’S DONE, RIGHT?
STEP BY STEP, HELP THE CAUSE ADVANCE?
IF I OPEN WITH A LAUGH, MAYBE IN THE SECOND HALF,
I CAN GET IT DONE,
UNLESS I’M NOT THE ONE.
THIS IS HOW IT’S DONE, RIGHT?
TAKE YOUR PLACE, BURY ALL YOUR FEARS.
CUT THE LIGHTS AND WALK ON STAGE,
MAKE THEM LAUGH AND QUELL THE RAGE.
THIS IS HOW IT’S DONE, RIGHT?
THIS IS HOW IT’S DONE.
Recent Comments