we are the people lyrics

If you're feelin' shut down
May my thoughts be with you
If you're a Black man bein' beat down and shoved all around
May my thoughts be with you
If your world's gettin' a little too tough
You know our thoughts are with you
Hey, I know that it's crazy out there
And my thoughts are with you
CHORUS
We are the people
And we live forever
We are the people
And our future's written on the wind
On the wind
If you are one of the homeless
May our thoughts be with you
If you are scared and alone
You know our thoughts are with you
If you are one of the fortunate ones
We all know it's lonely up there
We understand that nobody's got it made
So our thoughts are with you
CHORUS
You see yourself as a leader
May my thoughts be with you
If you try to divide and conquer
We'll rise up against you
We know only the strong will survive
But the meek will inherit
So if you've got a coat of arms, oh friend
I suggest we wear it
CHORUS
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Empty Hands
(John Mellencamp/George Green)
In the shadows of the smokestacks
Through the black snow that lay on the land
Walked home one winter morning
With my life's savings in my hand
Maryanne, she's fixin' up some breakfast
Got the lights on, on the Christmas tree
Sittin' there lookin' up at an angel
With something dyin' inside of me
Grew up with great expectations
Heard the promise and I knew the plan
They say people get what they deserve
But Lord, sometimes it's much worse than that
Maryanne she's takin' in some laundry
I got a part-time job at a drive-in stand
Oh Lord, what did I do
To deserve these empty hands
CHORUS
Across the cities, across the land
Through the valleys and across the sand
Too many people standin' in line
Too many people with nothin' planned
There's too many people with empty hands
Now Maryanne's been cryin'
Lord knows I love her the best I can
When my pride is bruised and broken
She slips her hand into my empty hands
Without hope, without love, you've got nothing but pain
Just makes a man not give a damn
That's no way for us to live
We've got to fill these empty hands
CHORUS
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