Hezekiah Jones (Black Cross)
Traditional
There seem to be a few different versions of this song floating
around. They're all mostly the same, though the wording differs
between versions.
Play freely
G C C/B G
Twas a man called Hezekiah Jones once
C C/B D
And he never had much, except a farm and some land
G
He ate what he raised
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But in the cupboard,
he kept there in the cupboard what, what he called for the rainy season
C C/B D
That is when hešd have something left over
He'd spend it and hešd buy books
G C C/B G
And hešd read his books he kept em there in the cupboard
C C/B D
White folks around the county said
"Well, he's harmless enough I suppose but the way I look at it
He better put down them God damn books.
G C C/B G
Reading ainšt no good for an ignorant nigger."
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Reverand Green of the white manšs church came around that year
Knocking on doors, he knocked on Hezekiah's door
G C C/B G
He says, "Hezekiah, you believe in the Lord?"
Hezekiah says, "Well, I never seen the Lord, I can't say as I do.
C C/B D
Canšt believe in nothin' you don't see."
He says, "Hezekiah, you believe in the church?"
G C C/B G
Hezekiah says, "Well, uh, uh churches divided ain't they?
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They can't make up their minds, I,
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I just like them, you know I, I canšt make up mine either."
Reverand says, "Hezekiah, you believe in, that if a man is good,
Heaven is his last reward?"
Hezekiah says, "I'm good. I'm good. I'm as good as my neighbor."
G C C/B G
"You don't believe in nothin'" says the white man's preacher
C C/B G G C C/B D
"Oh, Oh yes I do" says Hezekiah.
"I believe that a man should be beholden to his neighbor
not for the reward of Heaven or the fear of hell fire."
"But you donšt understand," says the white manšs preacher,
G
"there's a lot of good ways for a man to be wicked."
C C/B G
And they hung Hezekiah
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as high up as a pigeon
White folks around said, uh,
"Well, he had it comin', cause the son of a bitch never had no religion"
G C C/B G C D7 G