Capo: 2nd fret
[Intro]
D Bm D Bm D A D
[Chorus]
D Bm D
Under the devil’s knee oh lord, I’m under the devil’s knee
Bm D A D
Screamin’ “I cannot breathe” my lord, from under the devil’s knee
[Verse 1]
D
When George Floyd was a young boy in a project called “The Bricks”
Bm D
It was hard to see a way out of Houston, Texas
D
All them kids would tease him because of where he lived
Bm D
But he never planned to stay long a Cuney Homes kid
Bm D
Yes his love for basketball got him a scholarship
A D
All the way at South Florida State
D
He came back after 2 years lookin for a job
Bm D
But got wrapped back up in bullshit pled guilty to the law
D
George came outta prison with his head on straight
Bm D
Teachin’ all the neighborhood children the good ol’ christian way
Bm D
Till his life was taken from him for no reason but his race
A D
On the 25th of May
[Chorus]
D Bm D
Under the devil’s knee oh lord, I’m under the devil’s knee
Bm D A D
Screamin’ “I cannot breathe” my lord, from under the devil’s knee
[Verse 2]
D
Eric was his first name and Garner was his last
Bm D
Yes he hailed from New York City and had to grow up fast
D
All he learned from high school was how to fix a car
Bm D
Cause the state don’t fund the schools where them brown kids are
Bm D
In a system built to fail him and incentivized to charge
A D
He just did what he had to do
D
Out on Staten Island on a hot day in July
Bm D
Like a man of peace that he was breakin’ up a fight
D
And Officer Pantaleo, that crooked little swine
Bm D
He put Eric in a chokehold and squeezed away his life
Bm D
He left behind 6 children, and stolen from his wife
A D
I curse the day you ever opened up your eyes
[Chorus]
D Bm D
Under the devil’s knee oh lord, I’m under the devil’s knee
Bm D A D
Screamin’ “I cannot breathe” my lord, from under the devil’s knee
[Interlude]
D Bm D Bm D A D
[Verse 3]
D
In Louisville, Kentucky, the DA and the mayor
Bm D
They have yet to charge the 3 thugs who killed Breonna Taylor
D
They broke into her home at midnight unannounced
Bm D
Without badges or a warrant, so Kenny stood his ground
Bm D
To protect the woman he loved and they fired 20 rounds
A D
At the window through the curtains from outside
D
Breonna worked the long shift, had dreams to be a nurse
Bm D
How I wish I coulda saved her from this American Curse
D
Don’t tell me your position, don’t need no sympathy
Bm D
Yeah your bleeding heart’s complicit if you ain’t in the street
Bm D
Now’s the time to use that privilege and wake up from your sleep
A D
Or get out the way, we ain’t waitin’ for next time
[Chorus]
D Bm D
Under the devil’s knee oh lord, I’m under the devil’s knee
Bm D A D
Oh I’m screamin’ “I cannot breathe” my lord, from under the devil’s knee
A D
From under the devil’s knee
A D
From under the devil’s knee
Capo: 2nd fret
[Intro]
D Bm D Bm D A D
[Chorus]
D Bm D
Under the devil’s knee oh lord, I’m under the devil’s knee
Bm D A D
Screamin’ “I cannot breathe” my lord, from under the devil’s knee
[Verse 1]
D
When George Floyd was a young boy in a project called “The Bricks”
Bm D
It was hard to see a way out of Houston, Texas
D
All them kids would tease him because of where he lived
Bm D
But he never planned to stay long a Cuney Homes kid
Bm D
Yes his love for basketball got him a scholarship
A D
All the way at South Florida State
D
He came back after 2 years lookin for a job
Bm D
But got wrapped back up in bullshit pled guilty to the law
D
George came outta prison with his head on straight
Bm D
Teachin’ all the neighborhood children the good ol’ christian way
Bm D
Till his life was taken from him for no reason but his race
A D
On the 25th of May
[Chorus]
D Bm D
Under the devil’s knee oh lord, I’m under the devil’s knee
Bm D A D
Screamin’ “I cannot breathe” my lord, from under the devil’s knee
[Verse 2]
D
Eric was his first name and Garner was his last
Bm D
Yes he hailed from New York City and had to grow up fast
D
All he learned from high school was how to fix a car
Bm D
Cause the state don’t fund the schools where them brown kids are
Bm D
In a system built to fail him and incentivized to charge
A D
He just did what he had to do
D
Out on Staten Island on a hot day in July
Bm D
Like a man of peace that he was breakin’ up a fight
D
And Officer Pantaleo, that crooked little swine
Bm D
He put Eric in a chokehold and squeezed away his life
Bm D
He left behind 6 children, and stolen from his wife
A D
I curse the day you ever opened up your eyes
[Chorus]
D Bm D
Under the devil’s knee oh lord, I’m under the devil’s knee
Bm D A D
Screamin’ “I cannot breathe” my lord, from under the devil’s knee
[Interlude]
D Bm D Bm D A D
[Verse 3]
D
In Louisville, Kentucky, the DA and the mayor
Bm D
They have yet to charge the 3 thugs who killed Breonna Taylor
D
They broke into her home at midnight unannounced
Bm D
Without badges or a warrant, so Kenny stood his ground
Bm D
To protect the woman he loved and they fired 20 rounds
A D
At the window through the curtains from outside
D
Breonna worked the long shift, had dreams to be a nurse
Bm D
How I wish I coulda saved her from this American Curse
D
Don’t tell me your position, don’t need no sympathy
Bm D
Yeah your bleeding heart’s complicit if you ain’t in the street
Bm D
Now’s the time to use that privilege and wake up from your sleep
A D
Or get out the way, we ain’t waitin’ for next time
[Chorus]
D Bm D
Under the devil’s knee oh lord, I’m under the devil’s knee
Bm D A D
Oh I’m screamin’ “I cannot breathe” my lord, from under the devil’s knee
A D
From under the devil’s knee
A D
From under the devil’s knee
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