Tuning: E A D G B E

[Spoken Introduction]

^G6The name of this tune is Mississippi Goddam And I mean every word of it

[Verse 1] x2

^G6Alabama's gotten me so upset Tennessee made me ^Am7lose my ^D7rest And^Am/C ever^Bdim7ybody ^Am/Cknows a^Dbout ^C/EMissi^D/F#ssippi ^GGod^Gdam ^Am7 ^D7

^G11Can't you see it ^GCan't you feel it It's ^Cmaj7all in the air ^A7I can't stand the pressure much longer ^D7

Somebody say a prayer [Chorus]

^G6Alabama's gotten me so upset Tennessee made me ^Am7lose my ^D7rest Am/C Bdim7 Am/C D C/E D/F# G F#m7sus4 B7 And everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam

^Em(This is a show tune, but the show hasn't been written for it, yet) [Verse 2] ^EmHound dogs on my trail School children sitting in jail ^F#m7b5 Black cat ^B7cross my path I ^Em7think every day's gonna ^B7be my ^Emlast

^EmLord have mercy on this land of mine We all gonna get it in due time I ^F#m7b5don't belong here I ^B7don't belong there I've ^Em7even stopped beli^B7eving in ^Emprayer

^EmDon't tell me, I'll tell you Me and my people just about due ^F#m7b5 I've been there ^B7so I know They ^Em7keep on saying^B7 "Go ^Emslow!"

[Refrain]

^EmBut that's just the trouble "too slow" ^EmWashing the windows

"too slow"

^Am7Picking the cotton "too slow" You're ^Emjust plain rotten

"too slow"

You're^F#/C# too damn lazy "too slow" The ^Am/Cthinking's cra^B7zy

"too slow"

^C/EWhere am I ^F9going ^Em7What am I ^A7doing ^Eb7I don't ^Eb7know ^D11I don't ^D7know

^G6Just try to do your very best Stand up, be counted with ^Am7all the r^D7est Am/C Bdim7 Am/C D C/E D/F# G G F#m7sus4 B7 Cause everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam

^Em(I bet you thought I was kidding, didn't you) [Verse 3] ^EmPicket lines, school boycotts

They try to say it's a communist plot

^F#m7b5All I want is eq^B7uality For my ^Em7sister, my brother^B7, my people, ^Em7and me

^EmYes, you lied to me all these years You told me to wash and clean my ears And ^F#m7b5talk real fine ^B7just like a lady ^Em7And you'd stop calling^B7 me Sister ^Em7Sadie

^EmOh but this whole country is full of lies You're all gonna die and die like flies ^F#m7b5I don't trust you ^B7any more You ^Em7keep on saying^B7 "Go ^Em7slow!"

"Go slow!" [Refrain]

^EmBut that's just the trouble "too slow"

Desegregation "too slow"

Ma^Am7ss participation "too slow" Re^Em7unification

"too slow"

^F#/C#Do things gradually "too slow" But ^Am/Cbring more trag^B7edy

"too slow" C/E F9#11 Why don't you see it

^Em7Why don't ^A7you feel it ^Eb7I don't ^Eb7know ^D11I don't ^D7know

[Chorus]

^G6You don't have to live next to me Just give me my ^Am7equali^B7ty Cause ^Am/Cevery^Bdim7body k^A/Cnows a^Dbout ^C/EMissi^D/F#ssippi ^Am/CEvery^Bdim7body k^A/Cnows a^Dbout ^C/EAlaba^D/F#ma ^Am/CEvery^Bdim7body k^A/Cnows a^Dbout ^C/EMissi^D/F#ssippi ^GGo^Gdd^F9am ^F9 ^G ^F9 ^G ^F9 ^G

[Spoken Outro] That's it!

Nina Simone - Mississippi goddam