Gordon Lightfoot - Black Day In July

gordon lightfoot

black day in july

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black day in july , motor city madness has touched the countryside
C Em C Em
and through the smoke and cinders , you can hear it far and wide
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the doors are quickly bolted and the children locked inside
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black day in july .

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black day in july , and the soul of motor city is bared across the land
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as the book of law and order is taken in the hands
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of the sons of the fathers who were carried to this land
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black day in july .

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black day in july , in the streets of motor city there is a deadly silent
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sound
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and the body of a dead youth , lies stretched upon the ground
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upon the filthy pavement no reason can be found
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black day in july .

Em D Em D G Em
black day in july , motor city madness has touched the countryside
C Em C Em
and the people rise in anger and the streets begin to fill
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and there’s gunfire from the rooftops and the blood begins to spill
D Em
black day in july .

interlude #1 :

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in the mansion of the governor
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there’s nothing that is known for sure
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the telephone is ringing
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and the pendulum is swinging
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and they wonder how it happened
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and they really know the reason
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and it wasn’t just the temperature
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and it wasn’t just the season
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black day in july .

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black day in july , motor city’s burning and the flames are running wild
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they reflect upon the waters of the river and the lake
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and everyone is listening and everyone’s awake
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black day in july .

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black day in july , the printing press is turning and the news is quickly
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flashed
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and you read your morning paper and you sip your cup of tea
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and you wonder just in passing is it him or is it me
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black day in july .

interlude #2 :

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in the office of the president
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the deed is done the troops are sent
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there’s really not much choice you see
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it looks to us like anarchy
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and then the tanks go rolling in
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to patch things up as best they can
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there is no time to hesitate
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the speech is made the dues can wait
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black day in july .

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black day in july , the streets of motor city now are quiet and serene
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but the shapes of gutted buildings strike terror to the heart
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and you say how did it happen and you say how did it start
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why can’t we all be brothers , why can’t we live in peace
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but the hands of the have – nots keep falling out of reach
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black day in july .

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black day in july , black day in july .