Winter in America (Gil Scott Heron)

From the Indians who welcomed the pilgrims
And to the buffalo who once ruled the plains
Like the vultures
Circling beneath the dark clouds
Looking for the rain
Hey, they've been looking for the rain

Just like the cities staggered on the coastline
Livin' in a nation that just can't much more
Like the forest they buried beneath the highway
Never had a chance to grow
Well, they never had a chance to grow

And now it's winter
Come on, sing if you know the words
Seemed like winter in America
A time when all of the healers done been killed
Or been betrayed, say
People know that something's wrong
Everybody oughta know winter
Seemed like winter in America

The truth is there ain't nobody fighting
Because, well nobody knows what to save
Brother, save your soul
Lord knows it's winter in America
The Constitution, a noble piece of paper
With free society

Well, they struggled but they died in vain
And now democracy is ragtime on the corners
On the cord, hoping it'd rain
Yes, he's been a-hopin' for some rain
But it just don't look like rain

And I see the robins, yeah, perched in barren tree tops
Watching last-ditch racists marching across the floor
And like the peace sign that filtered in our dreams
That never had a chance to grow
Yeah, they never had a chance to grow

Somebody want to go tell them it's winter
It's cold, it's like winter in America
Time when all the healers, people who have done been killed
Or been betrayed, say
But the people know there's something wrong
Hey, it's winter
It seems like winter in America

The truth is there ain't nobody fighting
'Cause, well nobody knows what to save
Aw, sister save your babies
Yes, winter in America

I said hey, hey, hey
It's winter

It's cold, it's like winter in America
Time when all the healers, brothers who have done been killed
And put them in jail, say
People know there's something wrong
Something wrong with winter
It feels like winter in America

The truth is there ain't nobody fighting because
Well nobody knows what to save
Yes and the truth is
There's nobody fighting, nobody fighting
Nobody knows, nobody knows what to do, what to do
The truth is there ain't nobody fighting because
Nobody knows what to save