I’m Black and I’m Proud Lyrics

Written and performed by James Brown, 1968, The Essential James Brown, Emcd, 1998.

 

 

Look a'here, some people say we got a lot of malice
Some say it's a lotta nerve
I say we won't quit moving
Til we get what we deserve
We've been buked and we've been scourned
We've been treated bad, talked about

As just as sure as you're born
But just as sure as it take
Two eyes to make a pair, huh
Brother, we can't quit until we get our share

Say it loud,
I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud,
I'm black and I'm proud, one more time
Say it loud,
I'm black and I'm proud, huh

I've worked on jobs with my feet and my hands
But all the work I did was for the other man
And now we demands a chance
To do things for ourselves
we tired of beating our heads against the wall
And working for someone else

Say it loud,
I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud,
I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud,
I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud,
I'm black and I'm proud, oowee

Ooowee, ou're killing me
Alright uh, you're out of sight
Alright, so tough, you're tough enough
Ooowee uh, you're killing me, oow

Say it loud,
I'm black and I'm proud
Say it louder,
I'm black and I'm proud

Now we demand a chance to do things for ourselves
We tired of beating our heads against the wall
And working for someone else
A look a'here,
One thing more I got to say right here
Now, we're people like the birds and the bees
We rather die on our feet,
Than keep living on our knees

Say it loud,
I'm black and I'm proud, hu

Say it loud,
I'm black and I'm proud, hu
Say it loud,
I'm black and I'm proud, Lord'a Lord'a Lord'a
Say it loud,
I'm black and I'm proud, ooooh

Uh, alright now, good Lord
You know we can do the boog-a-loo
Now we can say we do the Funky Broadway!
Now we can do, hu
Sometimes we dance, we sing and we talk
You know I do like to do the camel walk
Alright now, hu alright,
Alright now, ha

Say it loud,
I'm black and I'm proud
Say it louder,
I'm black and I'm proud, let me hear ya
Say it louder,
I'm black and I'm proud
Say it louder,
I'm black and I'm proud

Now we's demands a chance to do things for ourselves
We're tired of beating our heads against the wall
And working for someone else, hu
Now we're our people, too
We're like the birds and the bees,
But we'd rather die on our feet,
Than keep a'living on our knees

Say it louder,
I'm black and I'm proud
Say it louder,
I'm black and I'm proud, let me hear ha', huh
Say it loud,
I'm black and I'm proud, hu
Say it louder,
I'm black and I'm proud
Say it louder,
I'm black and I'm proud

Oooow, oowee, you're killing me, alright
Uh, outa sight, alright you're outa sight
Ooowee, oh Lord,
Ooowee, you're killing me
Ooowee, ooowee, ooowee, ooowee, ow

Say it loud,
I'm black and I'm proud, hu
Say it louder,
I'm black and I'm proud , Lord I feel it
Say it loud,
I'm black and I'm proud
Say it louder,
I'm black and I'm proud