Strange Fruit

[Nina Simone Sample]

Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze

Strange Fruit

[Hook: John Legend]

Dance little brother, dont give up the fight

Hang on 'til tomorrow, the truth will come to light

Dance little sister, don't give up today

Hang on 'til tomorrow, tonight we celebrate, celebrate

[Verse 1: Common]

Black bodies on the wall, color from years ago

It's spiritual the way that them tears they fell slow

Roots and bruises so deep, found it hard to sleep

Souls lost in the heat, pray to God to keep

Fast forward to my pop, he nod and geeked-off the Heron

Still he was dead to bear arms

Thats where I'm from, my story ain't that different from yours

A blood line, a hard time, prisons and wars

With struggle it came rain, when it rains it pours

We stayed between liquor stores, and "praise the Lord"

Singing "we shall overcome" cause we came for more

We were dancing for it to rain no more

Though hurricanes and waves they came ashore

Takin' lives of the brave and poor

They'd ignore, us once again

But it was lessons in the wind

Of change that came from within

So...

[Hook]

[Verse 2: Common]

Wonder if I make it to heaven, will I get a chance to party

And celebrate with the great black bodies

Im talking bout Marley, Nina, and Marcus Garvey

Similair to Africa the streets is our safari

From shanties in slums, is children with guns

AIDS and poverty killing our young

Gramps keep sayin a savior gon' come

For the meek and the humble favor gon' come

From the same trees we were hung, we can see the sun

In the darkest hour, our power begun

I write from the same place they were bleedin' from

I'm emceein they done until the streets is won

So far we've come, with so far to go

To do the impossible only God will know-how we do it

I speak it and I put it in the music

The struggle lives through it, its a movement so move it

[Hook]

Dance little brother, dont give up the fight

Hang on 'til tomorrow, the truth will come to light

Dance little sister, don't give up the day

Hang on 'til tomorrow, tonight we celebrate