nappy heads hard as the rock you sling shot
through our ears but/ we didn't hear/ so you left
stratocaster in hand to a strange gray land of
cockney royalty and . . . L.S.D. soon to be a legend
you had no friends just parasites flyin' high
as kites/
pluckin'/ suckin'/ duckin' fame comin' off as a
lame . . . motherfucka . . .
as we torched our altered states hatin' you
for kissin' frosty's behind we was . . .
ray charles blind to where you was comin' from
never checked out third stone from the sun or
machine gun 'til you was dead . . .
took one look at your white boy styled head
of hair knew you was nowhere didn't care
you were a part of us resented the fuss
honkies made over you some nigger from seattle
who couldn't even play and today/
twenty years later . . . prince's hair is even
straighter than yours and we act like the
doors were so slick/ yet . . . they've all stolen
your licks your clothes your wild shows prove
you can teach new dogs old tricks
but you paid your dues playin' blues on the
chittlin' circuit takin' shit cuz you . . .
wanted to jam told to scram by threatened
veterans who saw those liquid brown fingers
on your magic left hand command that strat
to speak at will cry/ moan/ shriek/ shrill
you was . . . bad/
miles knew . . . little richard did too
but most of us had no clue it was like . . .
fallin' asleep watchin' the late show and
even black radio wouldn't bring your noise
refused to excuse you while you kissed/
the sky said it was your tie-dyed hair fryed
wind cried mary thought you was a fairy but/
you was just shy . . .
all the while worryin' what we thought you
sought our support yet few of us bought your music . . .
failed to help you through those wild times
hard as the symbol you'd now become not drum
but phallic a quick prick fix to a dyin'
industry dominated by young white boys who
stole old black men's songs . . .
couldn't play couldn't sing and along the
watchtower came the wild thing/
abused/ confused/ destined to lose
but you saw the light the first ray
tried to break away from that acid rock
back to bebop band of gypsies you'd
set us free . . . and/ with a single song
screamed to america how wrong/
the war was . . .
and the blue-black abstract givin'
patriotic americans a heart attack manner
in which you played the star spangled banner
shook/ the world . . .
while we concerned ourselves with the
skin color of the girls you dated frustrated
peabrains who failed to realize the train
you took traveled at the speed of sound
but we knew every verse of . . .
hound dog by elvis shakin' his pelvis
better than we knew your songs except
purple haze a simple phrase barless cage
from which . . . you'd never escape
repeatedly raped by fakes and snakes taken
advantage of you were merely lookin for love
and when you needed us most we weren't there
scared to claim you as our own now you're
stone free-history jimi/ we done you wrong
waited 'til you was long gone before we
listened to the songs you played emotions
displayed like depression/ pain and sorrow . . .
but you pegged us all square when you said
think i'd better wait 'til tomorrow/