Lyrics Blue Collar (Live) - Gil Scott-Heron

I been down in Pennsylvania
Where I was working in the mines (stay back now, stay back)
And I been down in Cincinnati
They laid me off the assembly line
Yes, well they got me looking everywhere
But I ain′t too sure of what I found
And you can't name where I ain′t been down
'Cause there ain't no place I ain′t been down
Down in Kansas City
Where even the blues sell by the pound
And I been down in New York City, brother
And that ain′t no place to be down
Yeah, I'm a-looking at the face of the children
And I see they′re looking for a higher ground
And you can't name where we ain′t been down
There ain't no place we ain′t been down (thank you baby)
We've been down, we've been down somewhere
Between the cities and the towns
And I know, we′ve been down, we′ve been down
Between the smiles and the frowns
And if they call me in the morning
I mean, I'd recognize the sound
′Cause you can't name where we ain′t been down
There ain't no place I ain′t been down
We gon' play some blues for ya
Standing in the shadows
It sho'nuff looks like rain
I see the steel-gray clouds above me
Fear of the anguish and the pain
Yes, I been looking everywhere for peace
But I swear, there just ain′t none around
And you can′t name where I ain't been down, say
There ain′t no place I ain't been down
Down between the cities and towns, woah say
We been down, we′ve been down
Between the cities and the towns
And between the smiles and the frowns
Sing it well, we've been down somewhere (yes I know)
Between the smiles and the frowns
And if they call me in the morning
I mean, I′d recognize the sound
'Cause you can't name where I ain′t been down
Sing it well, there ain′t no place I ain't been down
And you can′t name, you can't name where I ain′t been down
Ain't no place I need to go
None you folks, I need to know
Everybody, lookin′ at me
See that baby lookin' at me
Ease up fool, I say the least
'Cause they′re ain′t no peace around
'Cause there ain′t no peace to be found
Ain't no peace, there ain′t no
Ain't no things I ain′t been, ain't no things I ain't been
Ain′t no things I ain′t been, ain't been down
And you can′t think, there ain't no things, I be going insane
Say it well, just because you know I can′t explain
Say it well, there ain't no, ain′t no things I ain't been down
There ain't no place, I ain′t gon′ say well
There ain't no you, no I, no say, say
Say it well, we know all we really need to go, say it well
There ain′t no peace, I ain't been down
There ain′t no place I ain't been down
There ain′t no place I ain't been down
There ain't no, ain′t no, ain′t no place
Sing it, ouh, sing it ouh, sing it ouh
Sing it, ouh, sing it ouh, sing it ouh
Ain't no place I ain′t been down
There ain't no place I ain′t been down
Sing it, sing it, sing it, yeah
Say yeah
Been down, been down
Ain't no place I ain′t been down
Ain't been down, ain't been down
Down, down, down, down, down
Thank you, thank you very much
Thank you very much, very much we appreciate it
We do thank you
Allow me if I could please, to take a few seconds to introduce you to the band
And let you know who′s playing with you
Playing for you, American′s speak the worst english in the world
Would you welcome please, first of all on keyboards and vocals, the lady miss Kim Jordan
Our principal soloist with me now since 1981, on saxophone brother Ron Hollaway
The prince of darkness, I call him this because he always leave the drummer in the dark
Therefore he is the master of disaster, because things happen in the dark and you have to
Find what you, would you welcome please the drummer, brother Rodney Youngs
On the traps, bah-bah-bah
It is good to come from Washington DC sometimes
But sometimes not so good
Because not only do you need a band, you need a diplomatic representative
It is good when you can find a base player, who is also a diplomatic representative
Say good evening to the secretary of entertainment, brother Robin Gordan on the base
Last but not least, the rhythm master and our rhythm technician
From Jamaica, the West Indies, on Lunga and percussions
Brother Larry McDonald, king Larry of JA
Recently, there have been many songs done
About the situation and the changing circumstances of our brothers and sisters in
Southern Africa, we'd like to feel as though we contributed in some small portion
To the entertainment worlds response to the regime in Southern Africa
We would like to do a song with you, when we say, "What′s the word"
Could you please join us and say, "Johannesburg"? We would really appreciate this
We're going to say, "What′s the word?", You're going to say "Johannesburg"
And they′re going to hear us all the way over there, alright? Let's start
Everybody ready? You don't have to worry the camera is pointing at me
Everybody ready? Yeah
One, two and you know what to do
What′s the word? (Johannesburg)
This was not good, I did my part
I say what′s they word, now you say it
Thank you, four people said, "Johannesburg"
Said, "Burg", this is not good, we need everybody
Can we get everybody? (Yeah), you said that before