I got a letter from the government the other day

Opened it and read it, it said they were suckers

They wanted me for their army or whatever

Picture me givin' a damn, I said, never Here is a land that never gave a damn

About a brother like myself because I never did

I wasn't with it but just that very minute

It occurred to me, the suckers had authority Cold sweatin' as I dwell in my cell

How long has it been? They got me sittin' in the state pen

I gotta get out, but that thought was thought before

I contemplated a plan on the cell floor I'm not a fugitive on the run

But a brother like me, begin to be another one

Public enemy servin' time, they drew the line y'all

They criticize me for some crime I got a letter, I got a letter, I got a letter

Picture me givin' a damn, I said, never

Mmm, mmm, mmm

It occurred to me, the suckers had authority Cold sweatin' as I dwell in my cell

How long has it been? They got me sittin' in the state pen

I gotta get out, but that thought was thought before I got a letter from the government the other day

Opened it and read it, it said they were suckers

They wanted me for their army or whatever

Picture me givin' a damn, I said, never Here is a land that never gave a damn

About a brother like me and myself, because I never did

I wasn't with it but just that very minute

It occurred to me the suckers had authority Cold sweatin' as I dwell in my cell

How long has it been? They got me sittin' in the state pen

I gotta get out but that thought was thought before

I contemplated a plan on the cell floor I'm not a fugitive on the run

I'm not a fugitive on the run Many switch in, switch on, switch off

Many switch in, switch on, switch off

Many switch in, switch on, switch off

Many switch in, switch on, switch off

Many switch in, switch on, switch off Nevertheless they could not understand

I am a black man and I could never be a veteran

On the strength of situations, I'm real

I got a raw deal, so I'm lookin' for the steel, looking for the steel I got a letter from the government the other day

Opened and read it, it said they were suckers

They wanted me for their army or whatever

Picture me givin' a damn, I said, never Here is a land that never gave a damn

About a brother like me and myself, because I never did

I wasn't with it, but just that very minute

It occurred to me the suckers had authority Cold sweatin' as I dwell in my cell

How long has it been? They got me sittin' in the state pen

I gotta get out, but that thought was thought before

I contemplated a plan on the cell floor I'm not a fugitive on the run, I'm not

I'm not, I'm not a fugitive on the run

But a brother like me, begun to be another one

Public enemy servin' time, they drew the line y'all

They'll criticize me for some crime I got a letter from the government the other day

Opened it and read it, it said they were suckers

They wanted me for their army or whatever

Picture me givin' a damn, I said, never Here is a land that never gave a damn

About a brother like me and myself, because I never did

I wasn't with it, but just that very minute Mmm, mmm, mmm

I got a letter from the government the other day

Opened it and read it, it said they were suckers

They wanted me for their army or whatever

Picture me givin' a damn, I said, never Here is a land that never gave a damn