Gil Scott-Heron - The Train from Washington lyrics

During Reconstruction time there were
Folks who had been
Promised forty acres and a mule and
They were told that a man with their
Legal papers could be expected on a
Train from Washington they were
Folks who waited
For him and there are folks who
Are still waiting for him but you can't
Depend on the train from Washington
It's one hundred years overdue

You can depend on the stars and planets, yeah
They'll always tell you the truth
You can depend on the fifteenth of April
Yeah somehow it always gets through
You can depend on the daily papers
'Cause they sho' nuff bring you the blues
But don't depend on the
Train from Washington
It's one hundred years overdue

I see people dragging all they own
I see them standing anxious near the tracks
I see people a long, long way from home
Wondering how they'll ever get back

You can depend on the politicians, yeah
Always got a point of view
They are contemporary court magicians, yeah
Sleight of mouth will dazzle you
You can depend on a weak position from them
Changes that you've got to go through
But don't depend on the
Train from Washington
It's one hundred years overdue

I see people on their way to work
I see factories bursting at the seams
I see people listening for the whistle
On the train that will carry their dreams

I see people on their way to work
I see factories bursting at the seams
I see people listening for the whistle
On the train that will carry their dreams

You can depend on the folks and gravity
'Cause both of them will bring you down
You can depend on catching something, yeah
'Cause something is going around
You can depend on the first two numbers
But damn if the last one comes through
But don't depend on the
Train from Washington
It's one hundred years overdue

You can't depend on the
Train from Washington
It's one hundred years overdue
Oh Lord you see you can't depend on the
Train from Washington
It's one hundred years overdue
Don't you over but don't depend on the
Train from Washington
Eh eh eh eh, you know it might not make it
You can't depend on the
Train from Washington
Everybody knows it's, it's running
It's running late you can't depend on the
Train from Washington
It's one hundred years and that's
A long long time you can't depend on the
Train from Washington
It's one hundred years overdue
You can't depend on the
Train from Washington
It's one hundred years overdue
You can't depend on the
Train from Washington
It's one hundred years overdue
You can't depend on the
Train from Washington
It's one hundred years overdue