Amadou Diallo

Amadou Diallo
New York City, shot him 19 times
they get away with murder
it oughtta be a capital crime

after midnight
four white cops from the elite corps
and Amadou Diallo
standing in his own front door

Amadou Diallo
he was a West African man
they said he looked suspicious
he had something in his hand

it was his wallet
it was his wallet

they put the trial up in Albany
where the police have more friends
and they said it was a big mistake
they’d never let it happen again

his mother cryin’
in a far off lonesome place
she came to see justice done
what she got was a slap in the face

gunslingers
walkin’ on the side of the law
some’ve got a real short fuse
and that can be a fatal flaw

if you fit the description
they might want to see you dance
Amadou Diallo
he never had a chance

there’s a woman in the harbor
she’s carrying a burning light
but it’s gettin’ hard to see now
there’s gonna be a storm tonight

don’t you hear the thunder
can’t you feel that river run
someone ask a question, someone give a answer
somethin’s gotta be done

everybody’s talkin’
there’s somethin’ on everybody’s mind
Amadou Diallo
it oughtta be a capital crime

Amadou Diallo