Gotta Say No by Griot B Lyrics
In this country, In this World
If you want change
The first step, is you gotta say no
Yeah, you gotta say no
So that we all can say no
Montgomery Alabama. Five years before those
Four Greensboro boys
Refused to get up from that counter
This is 1955, Rosa Parks she took a ride
And refused to rise
Out her seat for somebody who was white
She said No No
To those Jim Crow laws of segregation
That divided black and white folk in all the transportation
Enter M.I.A, led by King, Abernathy and Nixon
Not the one from Watergate
But they form to fight this whitewashed system (1)
They say Boycott, Don't ride the bus
Don't give them our money in us we trust
The same thing the colonist did with that stamp act
When they left that King and made the U.S (2)
The boycott worked like it did before
1956 the Supreme Court
Says desegregate the busses Justice done
They won because they all said “No!”
First you gotta say no!
Then we gotta say no!
What if we all said no!
‘Cus when you protest gotta stick together
When you boycott need to stay united
When you strike, gotta know your why
‘Cus they will try to keep you divided
Nothing worth having comes with ease
On the other side of scary are the greatest things
First you gotta say no!
Then we gotta say no!
What if we all said no?
What if we all said No?
After Montgomery victory
Southern Christians form the SCLC
Most famous fight in 1963
You know, Birmingham, Alabama
Segregation about to shatter
SCLC swung that hammer
Boycotted for jobs and rights
Sat in places they were denied
Marched to city hall 50 at a time till they were all tried
They were tried because they got arrested
What shook the world
Was that they were nonviolent protesting
Which means, no matter how hard you are beat
Hosed down or attacked by dogs on the street
You turn the other cheek
And they were beat by beast in blue (3)
With badges and no honor
Police brutality ordered by Bull Connor
So many arrested, you what they did
Train high school and college kids
These students marched through hell, thrown into cells
They were beat and kicked, hit with metal stick and fists
But they did not fail
Because of the old folks weary souls
And the youth’s weary soles (4)
Congress pass the civil rights act 1964
First you gotta say no!
Then we gotta say no!
What if we all said no!
‘Cus when you protest gotta stick together
When you boycott need to stay united
When you strike, gotta know your why
‘Cus they will try to keep you divided
Nothing worth having comes with ease
On the other side of scary are the greatest things
First you gotta say no!
Then we gotta say no!
What if we all said no?
What if we all said no?
If you want change
The first step, is you gotta say no
Yeah, you gotta say no
So that we all can say no
Montgomery Alabama. Five years before those
Four Greensboro boys
Refused to get up from that counter
This is 1955, Rosa Parks she took a ride
And refused to rise
Out her seat for somebody who was white
She said No No
To those Jim Crow laws of segregation
That divided black and white folk in all the transportation
Enter M.I.A, led by King, Abernathy and Nixon
Not the one from Watergate
But they form to fight this whitewashed system (1)
They say Boycott, Don't ride the bus
Don't give them our money in us we trust
The same thing the colonist did with that stamp act
When they left that King and made the U.S (2)
The boycott worked like it did before
1956 the Supreme Court
Says desegregate the busses Justice done
They won because they all said “No!”
First you gotta say no!
Then we gotta say no!
What if we all said no!
‘Cus when you protest gotta stick together
When you boycott need to stay united
When you strike, gotta know your why
‘Cus they will try to keep you divided
Nothing worth having comes with ease
On the other side of scary are the greatest things
First you gotta say no!
Then we gotta say no!
What if we all said no?
What if we all said No?
After Montgomery victory
Southern Christians form the SCLC
Most famous fight in 1963
You know, Birmingham, Alabama
Segregation about to shatter
SCLC swung that hammer
Boycotted for jobs and rights
Sat in places they were denied
Marched to city hall 50 at a time till they were all tried
They were tried because they got arrested
What shook the world
Was that they were nonviolent protesting
Which means, no matter how hard you are beat
Hosed down or attacked by dogs on the street
You turn the other cheek
And they were beat by beast in blue (3)
With badges and no honor
Police brutality ordered by Bull Connor
So many arrested, you what they did
Train high school and college kids
These students marched through hell, thrown into cells
They were beat and kicked, hit with metal stick and fists
But they did not fail
Because of the old folks weary souls
And the youth’s weary soles (4)
Congress pass the civil rights act 1964
First you gotta say no!
Then we gotta say no!
What if we all said no!
‘Cus when you protest gotta stick together
When you boycott need to stay united
When you strike, gotta know your why
‘Cus they will try to keep you divided
Nothing worth having comes with ease
On the other side of scary are the greatest things
First you gotta say no!
Then we gotta say no!
What if we all said no?
What if we all said no?