| Lord why was I born in Mississippi,
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| when it’s so hard to get ahead
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| Why was I born in Mississippi,
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| when it’s so hard to get ahead
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| Every black child born in Mississippi
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| you know the poor child is born dead
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| When he came into the world
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| the doctor spank him, the black baby cry
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| When he came into the world
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| the doctor spank him, the black baby cry
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| Everybody thought he had a life
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| and that’s why the black baby died
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| He will never speak his language
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| the poor baby will never speak his mind
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| Lord he will never speak his language
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| the poor baby will never speak his mind
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| The poor child will never know his mind
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| why in the world he’s so poor
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| Lord why was I born in Mississippi
|
| when it’s so hard to get ahead
|
| Lord why was I born in Mississippi
|
| when it’s so hard to get ahead
|
| Every black child born in Mississippi
|
| you know the poor child was born dead |