What About Me - Richie Havens

You poison my sweet waters;

you chop down my green trees

And the food you feed my children is the cause of that ill disease

My world is slowly falling down and the air is not fit to breathe

And those of us who care enough, we have to do something

Oh, what you gonna do about me Oh, what you gonna do about me Your newspapers — they just put you on They never tell you the whole story

They just put your young ideas down

I was wondering if this was the end of their pride and glory?

Oh, what you gonna do about me Oh, what you gonna do about me I work in your factories and I study in your schools

I fill your penitentiaries and your military too

I can feel the future trembling as the word is passed around

If you stick up for what you do believe in, be prepared to be shot down

Oh, what you gonna do about me Oh, what you gonna do about me I feel just like a stranger in the land where I was born

And I live just like an outlaw;

I’m always on the run

Always on the run, they got me always on the run

Oh, your soldiers smoke marijuana, you can’t put them behind your walls

Because most of what you taught them to do is against most of your laws

We’re all fugitives from injustice now but we’re going to be free

Because your rules and regulations don’t do the things for me.

Oh, what you gonna do about me Oh, what you gonna do about me You may be the stronger now, but my time will come around

You keep adding to my numbers as you shoot my people down

I can feel the future trembling as the word is passed around

We are going to stick up for what we do believe in, and we’re prepared to be shot down

Oh, what you gonna do about me Oh, what you gonna do about me I feel just like a stranger in the land where I was born

And I live just like an outlaw;

I’m always on the run

Always on the run, they got me always on the run