Black Smoke Lyrics

15 year old East Side boy had seen it in the papers

Now he wants to see it for himself

With his brothers and his curiosity he climbs the high school smokestack

13 miles away, the West Side is on fire

15 year old feet, dangle down the chimney

Nothing there to see just black, black, black

White hands grab the lightning rods, "Will it reach to the East Side?"

It's getting way too close, I can see it from here

Black smoke

Rising in the distance

Black smoke

Now it's violent resistance

Black smoke

And in this circumstance

Peaceful disobedience

Doesn't stand a chance

11 year old East Side boy marching with his mother singing,

"We Shall Overcome"

He saw it in the faces, he heard it in the song,

When it comes to injustice, 4 years is too long

Black smoke

Rising in the distance

Black smoke

Now it's violent resistance

Black smoke

And in this circumstance

Peaceful disobedience

Doesn't stand a chance

4 years is too long

Black smoke

Rising in the distance

Black smoke

Now it's violent resistance

Black smoke

And in this circumstance

Peaceful disobedience

Doesn't stand a chance

Black, black, black,

Black smoke

Rising in the distance

Black smoke

Now it's violent resistance

Black smoke

And in this circumstance

Peaceful disobedience

Doesn't stand a chance