Lyrics Mavis Staples

Mavis Staples

My Own Eyes

I was just a little girl

Travelling with my pops

Thrown in jail for nothing

By some southern racist cops

Reverend Martin told us

What needed to be done

And if he can preach it

We can sing it

Help you make the new day come

We took the walk to DC

My heart in the church

I praid "oh my child

Fix that anger and hurt"

Its been almost 50 years

How much longer will it last?

We need a change now more than ever

Why are we still treated so bad?

With my own eys

Saw it with my own eyes

With my own eyes

So I know its true

I saw New Orleans

Saw the people left for dead

I've heard every bold face lie you politicians said

I've seen for myself

And you can't fool your sight

Well we better make a change

And we'd better start tonight

With my own eyes

Saw it with my own eyes

Ooh, my own eyes

So I know it's true

Sure enough I do

With my own I eyes

I saw it with my own eyes

Y'all can't fool me

I saw it, I saw it

Yes I did

So I now the truth

I know the truth

I know the truth

I saw it

We saw, haha

With my own eyes

A-ha A-ha

Hmmmm

Some other day my father would tell me

He said "Mavis

I've seen this years ago when I was a boy

And I thought by now

All of this should have been taken care of long ago

When I was a boy I didn't think I'd be a grown man looking at it still

We got to spread our word

You just be strong

Be strong

As long as you got your family

That's the strongest unit in the world

Stick together with your brothers and sisters

That will keep you strong, can't nobody break ya."

Hahaha

All right Pops

It's been almost 50 years, though

How much longer will it last

We need a change now more than ever

Why, why, somebody tell me why are we still treated so bad?

Oooah, Lord Lord Lord

Lord Lord Lord

My own eyes

With my own eyes

Yeah, yeaah

My own eyes

Wooah, my own eys

I know it's true

I saw it with my own eyes

I saw it with my own eyes

Didn't nobody tell me about it

I saw it, I saw it, I saw it

Just a day in [?]

And I know it's true

Yeah. Yeaah. Yeah! Oh yeah

Yeah! My own eyes

Did you see it?

Have you been there?

I know all about it

Imma write a book about it though

Let all ya read what I'm talking about

But in the meantime

Just listen to my song

All right?

With my own eyes

I know it's true

Yeah, yeah, yeah

My own eyes, my own eyes

And I know it's true

Saw it with my own eyes

Saw it with my own eyes

Oooah, my own eyes, my own eyes

Lord I know it's true

Saw it with my own eyes

Yes I did - hah - My own eyes

Oooh, my own eyes

I know it's true

Yes it is

I wouldn't tell you no lie

I leave that to the politicians

All right

Yes

Oh yeaah

Thank ya