The Ballad of John Howard Griffin (feat. Russell Malone)

Well, I reckon now's a good time to tell you 'bout a good man Who tried to help the world finally understand That it's so wrong to judge another by the color of their skin That good man's name, John Howard Griffin John was a white man who just had to know How it feels to be a black man in the land of Jim Crow So, he underwent treatments to turn his skin dark brown Then he headed down South to take a look around "It's a crazy idea", folks said, "You'll get yourself killed" But John found a doctor who prescribed special pills And he laid under a sunlamp, cotton pads on his eyes Till one day in the mirror, he saw a man he didn't recognize He knew he'd meet some hard times, but he really got a shock Life as a black man was harder than a rock Couldn't find a job, even a restroom to use I'm talkin' 'bout that Jim Crow, that Jim Crow blues Well, John wrote a book, "Black Like Me" Mighta heard about it, seen him on TV But in his hometown in Texas, they burnt his effigy Had to move to Mexico to protect his family A few years later, back in the land of the free While John was on a road trip in Mississippi His car broke down and as he wondered what to do next Some locals showed up and beat him half to death They beat John with chains for educatin' the nation Bein' a truth sayer is a dangerous occupation Some cheered his dedication to a world free of hatred Others cursed the man, yellin', "You're a goddamn traitor" So, I reckon it's a good time to remember "Black Like Me" Written by a good man who believed in equality Believed it's wrong to judge another by the color of their skin That good man's name, John Howard Griffin, oh yeah, John Got to learn a lesson like John Howard Griffin Oh John, John, John, ain't it hard? Now there was a man, remember John Howard Griffin I, I hope you know about that man, John Howard Griffin John Howard Griffin