Red White and Black

Take the old man to the river is mercy
Wearing his father's coat and woven pedigree
Take his old friends from the gentry
To the river
The river is thirsty
Take his old girl to the river is mercy
Wearing a heavy thread heirloom tapestry
Take his old girl with him
His family tree
To the river
The river is thirsty

Take his old blood
His moon and sun
To the river

And the white rows like ribbons of lace
And roll with the field like a flag that is waving
And the black rows that sew their own chain
Get a dollar worth of calico for their newborn baby
And the bell sends a key to the lock
And a whistle on the wind that carries the wings
And the guard dogs that catch the call
Put the key to freedom in the hand of redeemers
Now the iron cloth is cut from the loom
Bears the black and white stripe of a cotton field rolling
And the dark mines and flame of redeemers
Put them right back in the iron cloth and the flag is waving

Take his old blood
His moon and sun
To the river is thirsty

Take him by the hand to the river
Lead him by the hand into the water
Let the heavy thread drink up the river
Let the heavy thread drag him down to the bottom

Take him by the hand to the river
Lead him by the hand into the water
Let the heavy thread drink up the river
Let the heavy thread drag him down to the bottom

Lead him by the hand to the river
Lead him by the hand into the water
Let the heavy thread drink up the river
Let the heavy thread drag him down

Take his old blood
His moon and sun
Root and seed
Take the old man
To the river is thirsty