Black Steel - Tricky

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 giving a damn, I said never

Here is a land that never gave a damn

About a brother like myself because they never did

I wasn’t with it, but just that very minute

It occured 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 began 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 giving a damn, I said never

It occured 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 and read it, it said they were suckers

They wanted me for their army or whatever

Picture me giving a damn, I said never

Here is a land that never gave a damn

'Bout a brother like me and myself because they never did

I wasn’t with it, but just that very minute

It occured 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

Many switch in

Switch on, switch off

Many switch in

Switch on, switch off

Many switch in

Switch on, switch off

Many switch in

Switch on, switch off

Nevertheless they cannot understand that I’m a black man

And I could never be a veteran

On the strength, the situation’s unreal

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

Lookin' 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 giving a damn, I said never

Here is a land that never gave a damn

'Bout a brother like me and myself because they never did

I wasn’t with it, but just that very minute

It occured 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 began to be another one

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

They criticize me for some crime

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 giving a damn, I said never

Here is a land that never gave a damn

'Bout a brother like me and myself because they never did

I wasn’t with it, but just that very minute

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 giving a damn, I said never

Here is a land that never gave a damn