You Are What You Is - Live At Buffalo Memorial Auditorium/1980

1, 2...

Do you know what you are?
You are what you is
You is what you am
A cow don't make ham
You ain't what you're not
So see what you got
You are what you is
An' that's all it is

A foolish young man from a middle class fam'ly
Started singin' the blues
Cause he thought it was manly
Now he talks like the Kingfish
("Saffiiiee!")
From Amos 'n Andy
(Holy mack'l dere)
He tells you that chitlins
Well, they taste just like candy
He thinks that he's got
The whole thang down
From the Nivea Lotion
To the Royal Crown

Do you know what you are?
You are what you is
You is what you am
A cow don't make ham
You ain't what you're not
So see what you got
You are what you is
An' that's all it is

A foolish young man
Of the Negro Persuasion
Devoted his life to become a Caucasian
He stopped eating pork
He stopped eating greens
He traded his dashiki
("Uhuru!")
For some Jordache Jeans
He learned to play golf
An' he got a good score
Now he says to himself
"I ain't no Nigger no more (hey hey hey)"

Do you know what you are?
You are what you is
You is what you am
A cow don't make ham
You ain't what you're not
So see what you got
You are what you is
An' that's all it is

Who is who
'N what is what
'N why is this appropriot
If you don't like
What you has got
Drop it in the dirt
'N let it rot
Someone else
Will surely come
'N pick it up
Cause he wants some
And when one day
You wonder who
You used to was
'N what you do
You'll scratch your head
'N look around
But what you lost
Will not be found

Do you know what you are?
You are what you is
You is what you am
A cow don't make a ham
You ain't what you're not
So see what you got
You are what you is
An' that's all it is
You are what you is
An' that's all it is
You are what you is
An' that's all it is
You are what you is
An' that's all it is
You are what you is
An' that's all it is