Anne Romaine Song Lyrics

Anne Romaine Song Lyrics

“The Ballad of Gary Tyler”

Gary Tyler rode a school bus

And the Ku Klux Klan was furious

Though they came with guns

It was a white child who fell dead.

The Black kids ridin on that day

Were made to kneel and they had to stay for hours

With guns held to their heads.

Gary Tyler took the rap on that Louisiana day

They picked him out cause they had no one to blame.

He was made to stand and suffer just like all the others

Who have fought against their segregation game.

He stood for education

Without intimidation

He tried to show the court

He had no gun.

But a prosecutor framed him

And an all white jury named him

Sent him to die

A Black child alone.

Now people don’t just stand in line

Waiting for a judge to change his mind

If Tyler’s life is lost

So are you and me

If he would someday walk among us

Build the fight against injustice

It’ll be because

The people set him free.

“The Ballad of Ronnie Long”

The street lights were dim

There was a chill in the night wind

He pulled up his collar

Walking home from a friend’s

A cop stopped beside him

Said, “Hey, where have you been?

And what are you on the street for

At three a.m.?

He kept on a’walkin

Said I ain’t a’talkin

Cause its none of your business

What I do or when

The cops couldn’t take it

That a black kid wouldn’t fake it

They grabbed Ronnie Long

And they took him in.

The called him outspoken

They said he’d never be broken

By the cops or the Klan

Or that big cotton mill man.

They said someday they’d get him

They’s fix him and send him

Off to prison defeated

No more trouble to them.

The next day in a line-up

A rich lady gave a sign and

Said he was the masked man

Who raped her that time

Though relatives were crying

He was with us we ain’t lying

Another case was closed

Down in North Carolina

But this time they got a hold

Of a man strong and bold

Who comes from a people

Who can’t be bought or sold.

They know he ain’t done wrong

Their cries are getting’ strong

“We must have justice”

Come on and free Ronnie Long!

The call him outspoken

He said he’d never be broken

By the cops or the Klan

Or that big cotton mill man.

No times ain’t what they’ve been

Though he is poor with Black skin

You can’t frame a man up now

Unnoticed, unseen.

Just cause he’s Black don’t mean he’s wrong

If there’s no justice to lean on

They the walls might have to come down

To free Ronnie Long!