Blind Tom's Lament

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The Gloria Switch

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My father's name was Wiggins but they called me Thomas Greene
I was born the year of 18 and 49
My world is colored black but my hearing is keen
It's a blessing I was born stone blind

My mother's name was charity, a cruel sort of joke
She was never treated kindly on the farm
In the great state of Georgia there are two kinds of folks
The Black ones and the ones who'd do us harm

For want of eyes to see I couldn't pick or chop cotton
The bossman would have drowned me if he could
But dear mother protected me from everything rotten
On the day that Greene sold us to Bethune

She loved me and could see I had some strange ability
When to others my behavior seemed so queer
I imitated birdsong and the speech of politicians
Played piano in the big house by ear

Oh I wish
I was in dixie
Or somewhere
Far from here
It doesn't matter to me
That I can't see
For all I want to do is play
The sounds of
Rain on the roof
An army on the march
My pretty music
Glorious music

My talents were prodigious and I set myself composing
General Bethune soon had ideas
"Why I could make a mint from this miraculous monkey"
And he put me out on tour for 30 years

From the White House, before the war, to the concert halls of Europe
I left them nearly speechless every time
I earned a fortune in my day but was worked as if in bondage
The general he kept every dime

Eventually my custody went to the general's son
Later on his orn'ry widow, Miss Eliza
They treated me like property, like master and hound
My emancipation a receding horizon

Now I'm near to 60 years and my time here isn't long
I'm goin' to see my maker and my kin
To know I'll be with mother dear is all that keeps me strong
In a place where no one sees the color
Of my skin

Oh I wish
I was in dixie
Or somewhere
Far from here
It doesn't matter to me
That I can't see
For all I want to do is play
The sounds of
Rain on the roof
An army on the march
My pretty music
Glorious music

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