Lord why was I born in Mississippi,

when it's so hard to get ahead

Why was I born in Mississippi,

when it's so hard to get ahead

Every black child born in Mississippi

you know the poor child is born dead



When he came into the world

the doctor spank him, the black baby cry

When he came into the world

the doctor spank him, the black baby cry

Everybody thought he had a life

and that's why the black baby died



He will never speak his language

the poor baby will never speak his mind

Lord he will never speak his language

the poor baby will never speak his mind

The poor child will never know his mind

why in the world he's so poor



Lord why was I born in Mississippi

when it's so hard to get ahead

Lord why was I born in Mississippi

when it's so hard to get ahead

Every black child born in Mississippi

you know the poor child was born dead