Black Steel (Radio Edit)

I got a letter from the government

The other day

Opened it and read it

It said they were suckers

They wanted me for their army or whatever

Picture me givin' a damn, I said never

Here is a land that never gave a damn

About a brother like myself

Because I never did

I wasn't wit' it, but just that very minute...

It occurred to me

The suckers had authority

Cold sweatin' as I dwell in my cell

How long has it been?

They got me sittin' in the state pen

I gotta get out, but that thought was thought before

I contemplated a plan on the cell floor

I'm not a fugitive on the run

But a brother like me begun, to be another one

Public enemy servin' time, they drew the line y'all

They criticize me for some crime

I got a letter, I got a letter, I got a letter

Picture me given' a damn, I said never

Mmm... mmm... mmm

It occurred to me

The suckers had authority

Cold sweatin' as I dwell in my cell

How long has it been?

They got me sittin' in the state pen

I gotta get out, but that thought was thought before

I got a letter from the government

The other day

Opened it and read it

It said they were suckers

They wanted me for their army or whatever

Picture me givin' a damn, I said never

Here is a land that never gave a damn

About a brother like me and myself

Because I never did

I wasn't wit' it, but just that very minute...

It occurred to me

The suckers had authority

Cold sweatin' as I dwell in my cell

How long has it been?

They got me sittin' in the state pen

I gotta get out, but that thought was thought before

I contemplated a plan on the cell floor

I'm not a fugitive on the run

I'm not a fugitive on the run

Many switch in, switch on, switch off

Nevertheless they could not understand

That I'm a black man, and I could never be a veteran

On the strength of situations, I'm real

I got a raw deal, so I'm lookin' for the steel

Looking for the steel

I got a letter from the government

The other day

Opened and read it

It said they were suckers

They wanted me for their army or whatever

Picture me givin' a damn, I said never

Here is a land that never gave a damn

About a brother like me and myself

Because they never did

I wasn't wit' it, but just that very minute...

It occurred to me

The suckers had authority

Cold sweatin' as I dwell in my cell

How long has it been?

They got me sittin' in the state pen

I gotta get out, but that thought was thought before

I contemplated a plan on the cell floor

I'm not a fugitive on the run

I'm not, I'm not

I'm not a fugitive on the run

But a brother like me begun, to be another one

Public enemy servin' time, they drew the line y'all

To criticize me for some crime

I got a letter from the government

The other day

Opened it and read it

It said they were suckers

They wanted me for their army or whatever

Picture me givin' a damn, I said never

Here is a land that never gave a damn

About a brother like me and myself

Because I never did

I wasn't wit' it, but just that very minute...

Mmm... mmm... mmm... mmm

I got a letter from the government

The other day

Opened it and read it

It said they were suckers

They wanted me for their army or whatever

Picture me givin' a damn, I said never

Here is a land that never gave a damn