Gordon Lightfoot
BLACK DAY IN JULY
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Black day in July, motor city madness has touched the countryside
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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.
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Black day in July, Motor City madness has touched the countryside
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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
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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.
