It started a long time
it started a long time
it started a long time ago

it started with a whip
and a man went down
a boot on his head as he laid on the ground
but he didn't die
he got up
and start walking down that road

and the man was a black man
the man was a proud black man
try-y-ing to go home
and the man is hurt
his bloods on the ground
he needs some help
but he's got no-one around

so he digs down to his soul
and sings a song that goes a little somethin' like this

and the devil was there
the devil was there
you better believe the devil was there that day
but the devil wasn't walking with the black man
no the devil wasn't walking with the proud black man
no the devil was wiping the blood off his boots that day

and I can guarantee you brothers and sisters
within a hundred and ten percent accuracy baby
that jesus was walking with the black man that day
that's the birth of the blue-es