Dead Confederate
Alabama Alabama, heat lightning from The Nick
All I see is project housing, chicken bones and broken bricks
Standing, I been standing best part of 80 years
with my Jim Crow benediction, ropes and hoods and local cheer
Fighting, we were fighting and our namesake killed for Southern Gods
Dying, we were dying, Lucifer's divining rod
Selling, we were selling, the bodies of black boys and girls
Yelling, we were yelling, Rebel Yell heard round the world
Hey now baby I'm a dead confederate, 80 years I stood my ground
I ain't sorry, ain't regretting it, now they're trying to tear me down
Hey now baby I'm a dead confederate, rebel pride, a heart of stone
I ain't worried, I ain't sweating it, wish they'd just leave me alone
Snowflakes, August snowflakes, falling here in Birmingham
and I never claim to think too deep and I never said I understand
Swallowing my granite pride, they haul me out to gravel pits
Forget that I lived and died, smash me up to chips and bits
Buying selling humans was good work if you could get it
Well the South could build great pyramids or rise up if you let it
But they shine their light of righteousness upon my unclaimed darkest deeds
Pulling up my withered roots, poisoning my righteous seed
Jesus was a white man and he promised we could rule
So we burn his holy cross in honor, hang the negro and the fool
and Baby, I will rise again out on Highway 29
In the meantime, I'll join the Earth, bide my wicked sands of time
Hey now baby I'm a dead confederate, 80 years I stood my ground
I ain't sorry, ain't regretting it, now they're trying to tear me down
Hey now baby I'm a dead confederate, rebel pride, a heart of stone
I ain't worried, I ain't sweating it, wish they'd just leave me alone
Autor(es): Jerry Joseph