Shades of Grey

I was an August baby

Conceived by the Christmas lights

I came into the world by the setting sun

On a humid summer night

When my grandmother held me for the very first time

She thanked God I looked like my daddy

And I never quite knew just what she meant

But I knew she was a lit-tle too happy

And now I see

You can't change a stubborn mind

You can't see the world if your eyes are blind

What does it matter anyway

In our darkest hour we're all just shades of grey

They got married in a tiny chapel

1965

Malcolm X was on the radio

When he took her as his wife

And she looked so pretty that September day

And her older brother cried as he gave her away

And the minister looked like he didn't know what to say

And then he spoke

And when my grandmother held me

For the very first time

She thanked God

I looked like my daddy

And I never gave a damn just what she meant

But I knew she was a little too happy

And now I see

You can't change a stubborn mind

You can't see the world if your eyes are blind

What does it matter anyway

In our darkest hour we're all just shades of grey

In our darkest hour we're all just shades of

Darkest hour we're all just shades of grey

Hey, Hey, Hey

It doesn't matter anyway Don't give a damn

Don't give a damn

Don't give a damn what they say

We're all just shades of grey

We're all just shades of grey

Shades of grey