Walk

Down the road at half past ten

I met my Caribbean friend

With a bunch of guys that he knew

But when it’s me that he looks through

Something’s wrong

I said, “Friend, how do you do!”

He said, “Man, I don’t know you.”

I said, “You taking me for a fool?

I used to sit by you at school

Back along!”

My friend looked me up and down

Said, “That was then but this is now

And now you’re standing in the way

Of those who don’t want you to stay

Best be gone

You got to walk and don’t look back

You got to walk and don’t look back

Because you’re saying nothing to me

And you don’t know what it means

To be black.”

Shook his head and what is more

Said, “What d’you want to come ’round here for?

’cause if you want some straight advice

You being seen ’round here ain’t nice

On your own.”

I said, “Wait, that can’t be right

You say, because my skin is white

That we are not allowed to be friends?

Well, where does madness like that end

Would you say?”

He said, “Can’t you understand?

Man, there’s a sickness in this land

And where the black and white divide

Is for the white man to decide

Just the same

So, you got to walk and don’t look back

You got to walk and don’t look back

Because you’re saying nothing to me

And you don’t know what it means

To be black.”

Well, who’d have thought that prejudice

Should have ever come to this?

He said, “Your thoughts on common sense

Depend on which side of the fence

You are on.”

My friend said he had to fly

I saw the sadness in his eyes

He said, “I’ll take your point today

But there are not enough who’ll say

What you say

So, you got to walk and don’t look back

You got to walk and don’t look back

Because you’re saying nothing to me

And you don’t know what it means

To be black.”

“See you around, town.”