Red White and Black - Jesca Hoop

Take the old man to the river’s mercy

Wearing his father’s coat and woven pedigree

Take his old friends from the gentry

To the river, the river is thirsty

Take his old girl to the river’s mercy

Wearing a heavy thread heirloom tapestry

Take his old girl with him, his family tree

To the river, the river is thirsty

Take his old blood

His moon and sun

To the river

And the white rows, like ribbons of Lisbon

And roll with the field like a flag that is waving

And the black rows, they sowed their own chain

Get a dollar with a calico for their newborn baby

And the bell sends a key to the lock

And a whistle in the wind that carries the wings

And the guard dogs that catch the call

Put the key to freedom in the hand of Redeemers

Now the iron cloth that’s cut from the loom

Bears a black and white stripe of a cotton field rolling

And the dark minds and flame of Redeemers

Put them right back in the iron cloth and the flag is waving

Take his old blood

His moon and sun

To the river, it’s thirsty

Take him by the hand to the river

Lead him by the hand into the water

Let the heavy thread drink up the river

Let the heavy thread drag him down to the bottom

Take him by the hand to the river

Lead him by the hand into the water

Let the heavy thread drink up the river

Let the heavy thread drag him down to the bottom

Lead him by the hand to the river

Lead him by the hand into the water

Let the heavy thread drink up the river

Let the heavy thread drag him down

Take his old blood

His moon and sun

You can see

Take the old man

To the river, it’s thirsty