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John Lewis Bridge

by Samm Bennett - Polarity Records

/

lyrics

John Lewis Bridge

i'd like to sing to you about two politicians
from the state of Alabama way down south
very different ideas formed in each man’s brain
very different words came out of each man’s mouth

first I’ll sing about one Edmund Pettus
who had led Confederate troops in the Civil War
then later he became Grand Dragon of the KKK
a man of racial hatred to the core
to the core

now they elected Edmund Pettus to the Senate
represented Alabama till he died
his credentials as a KKK Grand Dragon
were for many at that time a source of twisted pride

next I’ll sing about the man John Lewis
Lewis was from Alabama too
ah, but Lewis was a black man, he grew up with Jim Crow laws
made by folks like Pettus, yes it’s true
all too true

John Lewis fought against racial division
and the system of apartheid he lived under
and he too was elected to the Senate
where he did his best to tear that hate asunder

but years before John had been elected
he marched across a bridge, nineteen and sixty five
he led a group of righteous folk who only sought their freedom
the right to live their lives, not just survive
to live in freedom
to live in freedom

now as it happened that old bridge in Alabama
was named for Edmund Pettus, don’t you see
how perfect then, that peaceful marchers trying to cross that bridge
were attacked so viciously

police beat John Lewis with their fearsome riot sticks
in a fog of tear gas he was brutalized
and just like Edmund Pettus and his old time racist friends
the police showed their hatred, clear and undisguised
undisguised
proud of their hatred

now people, a bridge is something that we use to cross a river
to get ourselves from one side to another
and a bridge is often what we need to conquer the divisions
between you and your sister and your brother

so why is that bridge down there in Selma Alabama
still named for Edmund Pettus, that’s just wrong
it’s time to give that bridge a new name, that would be "John Lewis"
that’s what I want to say here in this song

John Lewis Bridge
John Lewis Bridge
John Lewis Bridge
John Lewis Bridge
John Lewis Bridge
John Lewis Bridge
John Lewis Bridge
John Lewis Bridge

credits

released July 21, 2020
Samm Bennett: vocal and all other instruments
Recorded at Polarity Studio, Tokyo, Japan
All Words and Music Copyright Samm Bennett - All Rights Reserved

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all rights reserved

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Samm Bennett - Polarity Records Tokyo, Japan

Singer and songwriter, player of unusual string instruments such as 3-string and 1-string guitar, plus jaw harps, mouthbow, electronics and junk, plus all manner of drums and percussion.

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