15th January 2001, 7.32pm
WE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DARKER THAN BLUE by CURTIS MAYFIELD
Written by Curtis Mayfield
Chords used:
C#m7: x46454
F#m7: 2×2222
F#m9: xx7654
G#m7: 4×4444
C#m7 F#m7 C#m7 F#m9 (x2)
C#m7 F#m7
We people who are darker than blue,
C#m7
Are we gonna stand around this town
F#m7
And let what others say come true?
C#m7 G#m7
We’re just good for nothing they all figure,
F#m7
A boyish, grown-up, shiftless jigger.
C#m7 G#m7
Now we can’t hardly stand for that,
F#m7
Or is that really where it’s at?
C#m7 F#m7
We people who are darker than blue,
C#m7
This ain’t no time for segregating
F#m7
I’m talking ’bout brown and yellow two.
C#m7 G#m7
High yellow girl, can’t you tell
F#m7
You’re just the surface of our dark deep well?
C#m7 G#m7
If your mind could really see
F#m7
You’d know your colour the same as me.
C#m7 F#m7 C#m7 F#m9
Pardon me, brother, as you stand in your glory,
C#m7 F#m7 C#m7 F#m9
I know you won’t mind if I tell the whole story.
C#m7 F#m7 (x2)
n.c.
(drums and bass)
C#m7
Get yourself together, learn to know your side.
Shall we commit our own genocide before you check out your mind?
I know we’ve all got problems, that’s why I’m here to say,
Keep peace with me and I with you, let me love in my own way.
C#m7
(instrumental)
C#m7 G#m7 F#m7
(harp)
C#m7
Now I know we have great respect
C#m7 F#m7
For the sister, and mother it’s even better yet.
C#m7 G#m7
But there’s the joker in the street
F#m7
Loving one brother and killing the other.
C#m7 G#m7
When the time comes and we are really free
F#m7
There’ll be no brothers left you see.
C#m7 F#m7
We people who are darker than blue,
` C#m7
Don’t let us hang around this town
F#m7
And let what others say come true.
C#m7 G#m7
We’re just good for nothing they all figure,
F#m7
A boyish, grown-up, shiftless jigger.
C#m7 G#m7
Now we can’t hardly stand for that,
F#m7
Or is that really where it’s at?
C#m7 F#m7 C#m7 F#m9
Pardon me, brother, while you stand in your glory,
C#m7 F#m7 C#m7 F#m9
I know you won’t mind if I tell the whole story.
C#m7 F#m7 C#m7 F#m9
Pardon me, brother, I know we’ve come a long, long way,
C#m7 F#m7 C#m7 F#m9
But let us not be satisfied for tomorrow can be an,
F#m7
An even brighter day.
