Cannot Buy My Soul

For two hundred years, us blacks are beaten down here too long on the dole

My dignity I'm losing here, mentally I'm old

And there's a system here that nails us, ain't we left out in the cold?

Well, they took our life and liberty, friend, but they could not buy our soul

Well, Joe Hill died, Che Gevera fought and Pemulwuy lay down dead

If a person speaks out critically here, you can get loaded down with lead

And how long can the majority wait for their story to unfold?

Well, they took their life and liberty, friend, but they could not buy their soul

Well, the cleverman spoke precisely, "Humanity," he said, "Was done"

It's creed of greed could not proceed if our struggle's to be won

For humanity's more important here than that constant quest for gold

Well, you may take life and liberty, friend, but you can never buy our soul

Well, Jesus woke one morning, rode a donkey up through the gate

And He could see quite clearly why He was going to face his fate

And the powers that be could see that He could not be bought or sold

They took His life and liberty, friend, but they could not buy his soul