Detroit Red

Ten men can be sitting at a table
Eating, you know, dining
And I can come and sit down
Where they're dining
They're dining
I've got a plate in front of me
But nothing that's on it

Because all of us are sitting at the same table
Are all of us diners?
I'm not a diner until you let me dine
Then I become a diner
Just being at the table with others
Doesn't make me a diner
And this is what you've got to get in your head
Here in this country
Just because you're in this country
Doesn't make you an American
No, you've got to
Go farther than that
Before you can become an American

I'm not a diner until you let me dine
Then I become a diner
I'm not a diner until you let me dine
I've got a plate in front of me but nothing that's on it
I'm not a diner until you let me dine
Then I become a diner
I'm not a diner until you let me dine
And this is what you've got to get in your head
Here in this country

You've got to enjoy the fruits
Of Americanism
And you haven't enjoyed those fruits
You've enjoyed the thorns
You've enjoyed the thistles
But you have not enjoyed the fruits
No sir

So I point these things out brothers and sisters
So that you and I will know the importance
Of being in complete unity with other
Harmony with each other
And not letting The Man
Manoeuvre us into fighting one another

No, you've got to go farther than that
You've got to enjoy the fruits of Americanism
And you haven't enjoyed those fruits
No, you've got to go farther than that
You've enjoyed the thorns
You've enjoyed the thistles
But you have not enjoyed the fruits
No sir

I say again that I'm not a racist
I don't believe in any form of segregation
Or anything like that
I'm for brotherhood of everybody
But I don't believe in enforcing brotherhood
Upon people who don't want it
As long as we practice brotherhood among ourselves
And then others who want to practice brotherhood with us
We're for that
But I don't think that we should run around
Trying to love somebody
Who doesn't love us
Thank you

I'm not a diner until you let me dine
Then I become a diner
I'm not a diner until you let me dine
I've got a plate in front of me but nothing that's on it
I'm not a diner until you let me dine
Then I become a diner
I'm not a diner until you let me dine
And this is what you've got to get in your head
Here in this country

No, you've got to go farther than that
You've got to enjoy the fruits of Americanism
And you haven't enjoyed those fruits
No, you've got to go farther than that
You've enjoyed the thorns
You've enjoyed the thistles
But you have not enjoyed the fruits
No sir

I'm not a diner until you let me dine
Then I become a diner
I'm not a diner until you let me dine
And this is what you've got to get in your head
Here in this country