I was black as I could be
Hearing voices telling me
"Walk away from everything"
Oh I wasn't meant to go
Far away from those I know
To some desolate below
We were in the urban scene
With a grind of coffee bean
And the women are oblique
And the boys are paper thin
Ragged beards upon their chin
We were on the outside looking in
Rise above the present day
Rise above the popular melee
I see you the way you are
I see you the scar
We were beautiful before this went down
We were beautiful the years came and turned it upside down
We were beautiful before we got wise
We were beautiful with sky and blanket laying low
I am hanging on the line
I'm on duty all the time
I'm your Samaritan on call
I could try my best to heal
All the emptiness you feel
In the giving I will be a light
We were wrapped around our roots
Nothing on except our boots
We were intimate around the waist
We were settling our scores
We were healing over sores
We were living out the pleasure that we lost
We were beautiful before this went down
We were beautiful before the years came and turned it upside down
We were beautiful for all time and space
I will tell it to the Sun and I will tell it to
If you listen to the night
We can hear the madmen fight
Hear the foxes making out
But the people all immune
Sleeping silent in their rooms
Growing bodies with their sleep
Making plans inside their heads
Making love to shadow friends
We were beautiful before this went down
We were beautiful before the years came and turned it upside down
We were beautiful before we got wise
We were beautiful with sky and blanket, feel me now
We were beautiful before this went down
We were beautiful before the years came and turned it upside down
We were beautiful for all time and space
I will tell it to the Sun and I will tell it to your face