Johnny Reb

Well,you wonder why I always dress in black,

Why you never see bright colors on my back,

And why does my appearance

seem to have a somber tone.

Well,there's a reason for

the things that I have on.

I wear the black for the poor

and the beaten down,

Livin'in the hopeless,hungry side of town,

I wear it for the prisoner

who has long paid for his crime,

But is there

because he's a victim of the times.

I wear the black for those who never read,

Or listened to the words that Jesus said,

About the road to happiness

through love and charity,

Why,you'd think

He's talking straight to you and me.

Well,we're doin'mighty fine,

I do suppose,

In our streak of lightnin'cars

and fancy clothes,

But just so we're reminded of

the ones who are held back,

Up front there ought 'a be a

Man In Black.

I wear it for the sick and lonely old,

For the reckless ones whose

bad trip left them cold,

I wear the black in mournin'

for the lives that could have been,

Each week we lose

a hundred fine young men.

And,I wear it for the thousands

who have died,

Believen'that the Lord was on their side,

I wear it for another

hundred thousand who have died,

Believen'that we all were on their side.

Well,there's things that never will be right I know,

And things need changin'everywhere you go,

But 'til we start to make a move

to make a few things right,

You'll never see me wear a suit of white.

Ah,I'd love to wear a rainbow every day,

And tell the world that everything's OK,

But I'll try to carry off

a little darkness on my back,

'Till things are brighter,

I'm the Man In Black.