Why? (The King of Love Is Dead)
Nina Simone| Extended live version - April 7th 1968 | |
| WHY? (THE KING OF LOVE IS DEAD) What's gonna happen now? In all of our cities? My people are rising; they're living in lies. Even if they have to die Even if they have to die at the moment they know what life is Even at that one moment that ya know what life is If you have to die, it's all right Cause you know what life is You know what freedom is for one moment of your life But he had seen the mountaintop And he knew he could not stop Always living with the threat of death ahead Folks you'd better stop and think Everybody knows we're on the brink What will happen, now that the King is dead? We can all shed tears; it won't change a thing Teach your people: Will they ever learn? Must you always kill with burn and burn with guns And kill with guns and burn - don't you know how we gotta react? But he had seen the mountaintop And he knew he could not stop Always living with the threat of death ahead Folks you'd better stop and think Everybody knows we're on the brink What will happen, now that the King of love is dead? | WHY? (THE KING OF LOVE IS DEAD) We want to do a tune Written for today, for this hour For Dr. Martin Luther King We've stated before that the whole program is dedicated to his memory But this tune is written about him, and for him and so We had yesterday to learn it and so we'll see Once upon this planet Earth Lived a man of humble birth Preaching love and freedom for his fellow man. He was dreaming of a day Peace would come to earth to stay And he spread this message all across the land. Turn the other cheek he’d plead Love thy neighbour was his creed Pain, humiliation, death, he did not dread. With his Bible at his side From his foes he did not hide It’s hard to think that this great man is dead. Will the murders never cease? Are they men or are they beasts? What do they ever hope, ever hope to gain? Will my country fall, stand or fall? Is it too late for us all? And did Martin Luther King just die in vain? ‘Cause he’d seen the mountaintop And he knew he could not stop Always living with the threat of death ahead. Folks, you’d better stop and think ‘Cause we’re heading for the brink What will happen now that he is dead? He was for equality For all people, you and me Full of love and good will, hate was not his way. He was not a violent man Bigotry had sealed his fate We can all shed tears, but it won’t change a thing. Teach your people: Will they ever learn? Must you always kill with burn, and burn with guns And kill with guns and burn – don’t you know how we’ve got to react? But you know what it will bring. But he had seen the mountaintop And he knew he could not stop Always living with the threat of death ahead. Folks, you’d better stop and think Everybody knows we’re on the brink What will happen now that the king is dead? He would say he had seen the mountain top And he knew he could not stop Always living with the threat of death ahead. Folks, you’d better stop and think and feel again How we’re headed for the brink What’s going to happen now in all of our cities? My people are rising; they’re living in lies Even if they have to die Even if they have to die at the moment that they know what life is Even at that one moment, that you know what life is If you have to die, it’s all right ‘Cause you know what life is You know what freedom is, for one moment of your life What’s going to happen Now that the King of Love is dead? I heard, that um, well we've heard all kinds of stories, but I heard That this was his favorite song near the end of his life Last year or a year ago, maybe a little longer than that now, Lorraine Hansberry left us, and she was a dear friend She had her favorite song, that Langston Hughes left us Coltrane left us, Otis Redding left us Who can go on, do you realize how many we have lost? Then it really gets down to reality, doesn't it? Not a performance, not microphones and all that crap But really something else We've lost a lot of them, in the last two years But we have remaining, Monk, Miles Audience: Nina! Ms. Simone: I love you too And of course, for those we have left we are thankful, but we can't afford any more losses, oh no, oh my god They're shooting us down one by one Don't forget that Because they are Killing us one by one Well all I have to say is that those of us who know how to protect those of us that we love Stand by them and stay close to them And I say that if there'd been a couple of more a little closer to Dr. King he wouldn't have got it Just a little closer to him, stay there, stay there We can't afford any more losses But he had seen the mountaintop And he knew he could not stop Always living with the threat of death ahead. Folks, you’d better stop and think For we’re almost to the brink What will happen now that the King of Love is dead? |
