Blues in Black and White

MISS RUBY CAME TO THE BACK DOOR
WHEN SHE CAME TO COOK AND CLEAN
ME AND HER BOY ABE WOULD LAUGH AND PLAY
LIKE BROTHERS ON THE BACK PORCH SWING
THEN ONE SUNDAY AFTER CHURCH
WHEN OUR FAMILY WENT OUT TO EAT
I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY DADDY WOULDN'T LET
LITTLE ABE COME ALONG WITH ME
HE SAID SON DON'T YOU KNOW THAT JUST WOULDN'T BE RIGHT
THAT WAS MY FIRST PICTURE
OF THE BLUES IN BLACK AND WHITE

JAKE BROWN WAS A SHOWMAN
HE RAN OUR LITTLE FIVE PIECE BAND
HE HAD A WAY WITH A SAXOPHONE
THAT MADE EVERYBODY GET UP AND DANCE
WE STARTED TRAVELING TOWN TO TOWN
ME AND JAKE GOT TO BE GOOD FRIENDS
I REMEMBER THAT ALABAMA MOTEL
THAT COULDN'T FIND ANY ROOM FOR HIM
WE JUST SLEPT OUT IN THE CAR THAT WINTER NIGHT
ANOTHER MEAN OLD PICTURE
OF THE BLUES IN BLACK AND WHTE

HOW LONG HOW LONG
MUST WE STRUGGLE ON
BEFORE WE FINALLY MAKE IT RIGHT
AND FIND A WAY TO RISE ABOVE
THE BLUES IN BLACK AND WHITE

I SAW DR KING ON TV
TALKING BOUT HIS BEAUTIFUL DREAM
STANDING IN THE SHADOW OF LINCOLN
EVERY WORD MAKING FREEDOM RING
HE SAID HE HAD HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
WHEN WE COULD ALL LIVE AS ONE
OH BUT HIS SWEET DREAM WAS SHOT DOWN
WE'RE ALL LEFT HOLDING THE GUN
IT'S UP TO ALL OF US NOW TO MAKE IT RIGHT
AND CHANGE THAT OLD PICTURE
OF THE BLUES IN BLACK AND WHITE

HOW LONG HOW LONG
MUST WE STRUGGLE ON
BEFORE WE FINALLY MAKE IT RIGHT
AND FIND A WAY TO RISE ABOVE
THE BLUES IN BLACK AND WHITE