Leigh Newton & David Froemming © 2020
A Black Lives Matter song, seeking justice for people of colour, especially in the USA.
Out of the Whirlwind
Job 38:1
Words and Music: David Froemming & Leigh Newton © 2020
Chorus
I can’t breathe
I can’t breathe
I can’t breathe
He put his knee right down and hard on the neck,
and killed the black man, he had vowed to protect
And woke up a nation from endless denial,
of its racist and murderous ways.
“I can’t breathe” he’s pleading again and again,
on dull repeat fading – the fire is fanned.
God speaks, in the cry from the street,
out of the whirlwind, (echo: out of the whirlwind) out of the whirlwind.
Mothers come frantic with mothers’ raw pain,
running in anguish when they hear their name,
They buckle with heartache at each brutal loss
of one they had all brought to birth.
The young come protesting the murder with rage –
they went looking for Hope, nudged her up to the stage,
God speaks, in the cry from the street,
out of the whirlwind, (echo: out of the whirlwind) out of the whirlwind.
Chorus
And the force in their armour, with ice in their eyes,
use weapons of war we have learned to despise.
The tear gas rolls slowly and hangs in the streets,
As canisters spin all around.
And the force is a curse – in economy of scale,
they’re a cold iron hammer in search of a nail;
God speaks, in the cry from the street,
out of the whirlwind, out of the whirlwind.
Is it not strange, not a little bit odd,
a nation of pilgrims claims it’s under God,
While people are under suspicion and shot
‘cos the colour of their skin is black?
George was Jesus, as plain as can be –
He’s no need of pity, it’s change that we need.
God speaks, in the cry from the street,
out of the whirlwind, out of the whirlwind.
Chorus,
Now, nothing has changed over 400 years,
Supremacist lynchings still haunt our affairs.
The rope and the tree are now pavement and knee
There’s a manifest reck’ning to come.
So we’re carving our pledge on the old city gate,
We’re sorry for sleeping and showing up late.
God speed, in the cry from the street,
out of the whirlwind, out of the whirlwind.
Chorus #