Story Behind The Song
When he was in his prime as a street graffiti artist. Joey Semz was a very wanted man by the lower Manhattan police force. He was constantly tailed and phones were tapped. He was a wanted man. You can tell from this song that he never lost his playful nat
Song Description
Joey was a true story-teller and this song is just that a story set to music. Harmonica, quick strumming on the guitar. John vs. the man.
| Song Length |
4:43 |
Genre |
Folk - Alternative, Rock - Indie/Low-Fi |
| Tempo |
Medium Fast (131 - 150) |
Lead Vocal |
Male Vocal |
| Mood |
Annoyed, Disconcerted |
Subject |
Judgement, Justice |
| Similar Artists |
Neil Young, Bob Dylan |
Language |
English |
| Era |
2000 and later |
| |
Lyrics
The man got a plan to lock John down
Let me tell you, it ain?t easy
They pissed him off one too many times
Now, I?m just waiting for the chance to say freeze
He got a record a mile long of felony and he?ll brag of it
They watch him and they stalk him and they stare and they don?t quit
Oh when are they gonna learn, when are they gonna learn
When are they gonna learn, these little boys, they just don?t learn
And if they don?t care that I don?t care, well hey man, leave it up to God
Everyday he leaves his house, they circle the block and hawk
They arrest him many times a day, he?s a white boy and they call him a Nigger
John yawns in boredom as he seems them passing by
To be funny, he scatches his head and subtly gives them the middle finger
Oh when are they gonna learn, when are they gonna learn
When are they gonna learn, these little boys, they just don?t learn
And if they don?t care that I don?t care, well hey man, leave it up to God
Every chance they get, they stop and illegally search him
They never find shit on him
As the sergeant pounds his fist, he?s pissed
It makes it hard sometimes for John to his job
He?s a damn good artist and a poet
And they?re gonna hate the say that he succeeds
Oh when are they gonna learn, when are they gonna learn
When are they gonna learn, these little boys, they just don?t learn
And if they don?t care that I don?t care, well hey man, leave it up to God
John is getting closer to the big time everyday
He moves like a game of chess as it maneuvers around him day by day
It never gets any easier for John to cope with the man
He says his prayers as he makes his plan to stand tall and beat em some day
Oh when are they gonna learn, when are they gonna learn
When are they gonna learn, these little boys, they just don?t learn
And if they don?t care that I don?t care, well hey man, leave it up to God
They?ve got an army of men trying to fuck with John?s head
But they ain?t doing shit man, these cowards are just bluffing
They?re cowardly men with worn egos that just don?t fit
Their evil ways and mind games will be one day judged by our God
Until that day may come, where they die, die, die, die, fester and rot