Elder white

Out of the backwoods of the Mississippi delta
Came Elder White to fight for civil rights
Was he right?

He and Sister Brown, they went to town
Tried to ride a bus, people called it lust
Were they right?

Out of the swamp of Louisiana
Came a young man, played Gospel piano
He joined Elder White to fight for civil rights
Was he right?

He and Sister Black, they broke their back
In a sit-down strike, they didn't believe in force or might
We think they were right.

How low can a snake crawl?
Can a man mount up any higher?
Away to the north I see whole cities on fire
They said peace and love was their only desire
Oh, America! Oh, America!
I see the seas rolling in on you
While high on the mountaintops
The vultures behold the view
Oh, America! Oh, America!
Remember the one they crucified
His mother was a Jew.