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Dirty Greens (2017) – With the transition from Obama to Trump, it became very clear to me that the Civil Rights Movement never ends and none of us get a pass. The production on this by Mike Gladstone is an amazing labor of love. He was willing to try all my crazy ideas. Thanks, Mike. And yes, that’s a real Chapman stick – I figured out how to play two Tony Levin licks then sampled them. Weak sauce.

Lyrics

Dirty Greens
I know a soul food cook
whose chicken is from heaven up above
One taste, you’ll know everything she makes
is a pure expression of love
She made pies for the movement in Montgomery
Suffered indignities too numerous to count
wanna know her secret
you better lean in ‘cause she won’t shout, she say
Better wash your dirty greens…
Better watch your mind;
Think about what you’re thinking
Better watch that bottle;
Seeing how much you’re drinking
Better watch your mouth;
Think about what you’re saying
Get up off of your knees;
Thinking ‘bout why you’re praying
Better wash your dirty greens…
I’m a big tent republican
living in a shotgun shack
I’m a liberal pinko commie
who’d steal the very shirt off of your back
I’m a jerry-rig jihadist
from every little country that you never heard of
I’m a fair-weather fascist
singing all we really need is love…
We all want a seat at the table
We all want a seat...
I’m a crackhead half past dead
20 years wasted in prison
I’m a heroin addict up in mama’s attic
in the suburbs so they put me in treatment
He says, “Only I can fix your troubles
You know I like my people angry and fearful
Better listen to me, the only one to believe
Because the press is the enemy of the people”
Dirty greens…
“Hey children!
Something new starting right now
Start building instead of always tearing things down
Gather ‘round before you sit down
‘cause there’s work to do in the kitchen
Before you can eat, we got chores to complete
So work together now and quit your bitchin’’
Come on…