OVERVIEW

LYRICS

Featured In

Listen to Summer Of Soul (...Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] [Live at the Harlem Cultural Festival, 1969] by Various Artists
ALBUMSummer Of Soul (...Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] [Live at the Harlem Cultural Festival, 1969]Various Artists

Top Songs By Nina Simone

Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS
Nina Simone
Nina Simone
Performer
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Nina Simone
Nina Simone
Composer
Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes
Lyrics

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Mr. Backlash, Mr. Backlash
Who do think I am?
You raise my taxes, and freeze my wages
And send my only son to Vietnam
[Verse 2]
You give me second class houses
Second class schools
I know you think that all colored people are just second class fools
[Verse 3]
Mr. Backlash
I'm gonna leave you with the blues, yes I am
Yes I am
Yes I am
[Verse 4]
When I try to find a job
To earn a little cash
All you got to offer
Is your mean old white backlash
[Verse 5]
But the world is big
Big and bright and round
And it's full of other folks like me
Who are black, yellow, beige and brown
[Verse 6]
Mr. Backlash
I'm gonna leave you with the blues, yes I am
Yes, I am
[Verse 7]
When Langston Hughes died
He told me many years before
He said, "Nina, keep on working
Until they open up the door
One of these days when they open the door
And you know it's open wide
Make sure you sock it to 'em where they live
So they'll have no place to hide"
[Verse 8]
So I'm telling you
Yeah, I got to do it
In the hot fire, it's necessary, you got to it
Yeah
I'm gonna leave you with the blues
Yes I am
Written by: Langston Hughes, Nina Simone

Shazam Footer

Select language:

Company

Legal

Google Play Store
Apple App Store
Chrome Web Store
Galaxy Store

Follow Us

© Copyright 2025 Apple Inc. and its affiliates | Supplier Responsibility
instagramSharePathic_arrow_out