Em           D
Black day in July..
Em         D           G                  Em
Motor City madness has touched the countryside.
    C                     Em               C    
And through the smoke and cinders, you can hear it 
        Em
far and wide.
    C                 Em             C
The doors are quickly bolted and the children 
       Em       D            Em
locked inside...Black day in July..

#2.
Em           D
Black day in July.
        Em            D       G                Em
And the soul of Motor City is bared across the land.
       C               Em       C            Em
As the book of law and order is taken in the hands
       C           Em               C               Em
of the sons of the fathers who were carried to this land. 
D            Em
Black day in July..

#3.
Em           D
Black day in July.
       Em               D         G              Em
In the streets of Motor City is a deadly, silent sound.
        C         Em              C                  Em
And the body of a dead youth lies stretched upon the ground,
  C             Em           C             Em
upon the filthy pavement, no reason can be found..
D            Em
Black day in July..

#4.
Em           D
Black day in July.
Em         D           G                  Em
Motor City madness has touched the countryside.
        C              Em             C                Em
And the people rise in anger, and the streets begin to fill.
            C                Em               C
And there's gunfire from the rooftops and the blood begins 
   Em
to spill..
D            Em
Black day in July.

CHORUS:
Em                    C                 Em
In the mansion of the Governor, there's nothing that is 
C
known for sure.
    Em           C               Em          C
The telephone is ringing and the pendulum is swinging.
         Em            C                 Em              C
And they wonder how it happened and they really know the reason.
       Em              C                  Em              C
And it wasn't just the temperature and it wasn't just the season..
D            Em
Black day in July..

#5.
Em           D
Black day in July.
Em           D               G                  Em
Motor City's burning and the flames are running wild.
     C                Em            C             Em
They reflect upon the waters of the river and the lake,
    C           Em            C          Em
and everyone is listening and everyone's awake..
D            Em
Black day in July..

#6.
Em           D
Black day in July.
    Em                D               G               Em
The printing press is turning and the news is quickly flashed.
        C                 Em             C               Em
And you read your morning paper, and you sip your cup of tea.
        C              Em             C            Em
And you wonder just in passing, is it him or is it me?
D            Em
Black day in July.

CHORUS:#2.
Em                   C              Em
In the office of the President, the deed is done, 
    C
the troops are sent.
        Em              C                   Em
There's really not much choice, you see, it looks to us 
     C
like anarchy.
    Em                C              Em
And then the tanks go rolling in, to patch things up 
   C
as best they can.
      Em            C             Em                  C
There is no time to hesitate, the speech is made, the dues 

can wait..
D            Em
Black day in July..

#7.
Em           D
Black day in July.
    Em               D            G         Em
The streets of Motor City now are quiet and serene.
        C                Em               C
But the shapes of gutted buildings strike terror to 
    Em
the heart.
        C              Em              C              Em
And you say how did it happen, and you say how did it start?
    C               Em            C                Em
Why can't we all be brothers, why can't we live in peace?
        C            Em             C              Em
But the hands of the have-nots keep falling out of reach..
D            Em
Black day in July..

#8.
Em           D
Black day in July.
Em         D           G                  Em
Motor City madness has touched the countryside.
    C                     Em               C    
And through the smoke and cinders, you can hear it 
        Em
far and wide.
    C                 Em             C
The doors are quickly bolted and the children 
       Em       D            Em
locked inside...Black day in July..

OUTRO:
Em           D
Black day in July..
D            Em
Black day in July..
Em           D
Black day in July..(Fade.)