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Jack Johnson
This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb
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Have you heard about Jack Johnson, hes a hero in this land.
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I don't like to sing about boxing but I hope you'll understand.
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It was the 1st year they gave the heavyweight title to a black man,
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and in 1908 it ain't so easy.
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He was born right after slavery died, right after reconstruction died,
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he was born right after none of that stuff really died.
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It never died at all
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He would walk down the streets wearing gold and diamonds,
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always hold his head up high.
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And he never had to say yes sir or no sir to the white folks as they passed
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him by,
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or as he passed them by.
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So the great white hope was pulled out of retirement
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to nurse the bruised and damaged white pride.
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And when Johnson beat him down there wasn't a man around at his side.
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And when the fight was over, there was beatings and murders.
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The worst race riot this country has seen.
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And all because they didn't want a black man.
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All because they didn't want a black man.
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They couldn't stand to see a black man winning in their ring.
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Yeah, who said heroes have to be role models?
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Who said heroes have to be role models?
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Who said heroes have to be role models, anyway?