blood on your bootheels

we jump 'round the ring

and we loosen your reigns

i heard the man was roamin' free

now he's livin' in chains

woah wo

everywhere i got the world in tow

no matter where i turn i got to carry its load

well shoeshine brother thinks i'm so naive;

lookin' at me thinkin' i got something hidden up my sleeve

no

sirree

i'm cool as can be;

i got no money

but i'm always feelin' free

free

free

so what you think you're doin'; who do you think you are?

drinkin' bottles of whiskey

smokin' cuban cigars;

think if you act like a man

you can alter this wheel;

you can make it in this world without that blood on your bootheels

well get your head right

a-put your keys up on the table

while they polishin' their pistols

and they're staring out the windows

wonderin' who's a comin' down my gate

hey

pick a side

love

tie your boots up

and then get your ass in line

well see them swirlers got the bub

it's a wonder that they'll ever see the light of day

with people like you walkin' on the street

if police were policin' then i probably wouldn't

have to follow him every step of his feet

they look me in the eye

and they look me in the face

and they review my fate

say my name raise your name

son grab your gun and run

ah

you got no appeal;

you can make it in this world without that blood on your bootheels

i have a dream too; you think i ain't got dreams?

when i close my eyes and sleep

only thing i can believe in: my religion i envision murderin' everything livin'

when i'm cookin' up my goddamn future in the kitchen

what makes you all my favorite mess

a vision of a blackened head bent over a fence;

took a beatin' to his head

forty bullets to his chest;

now with one hand on the bible

claimed it was in self-defense

i read all those books

yeah i seen all them films

i bet you got a pretty degree up in your window sill

well leave me out of it; people like me don't live to feel

we can make it in this world without that blood on our bootheels