Phil Ochs — Talking Birmingham Jam

[Verse 1] Walkin' down to Birmingham Way down south in Dixieland Well I thought that I would stop a while Take a vacation Southern style Got some Southern hospitality Down there in a Southern hospital [Verse 2] Well, all the signs said welcome in Signed by Governor Wallace and Rin Tin Tin They said come along and watch the fights While we feed our dogs on civil rights Now don't get us wrong Some of our best Negroes are friends [Verse 3] Well, I've seen travel in many ways I've traveled in cars and old subways But in Birmingham some people chose To fly down the street from a fire hose Doin' some hard travelin' From hydrants of plenty [Verse 4] Well, a pack of dogs was standin' by I walked up to them and I said "Hi" I asked one dog what they all were doin' He walked up to me and started chewin' I said, "Hold it, I'm from the A.S.P.C.A." Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Agitators [Verse 5] And I said. "There must be some men around There can't be only you dogs in town" They said "Sure we have old Bull Conner There he goes, walkin' yonder Throwin' some raw meat to the mayor Feedin' bones to the City Council" [Verse 6] You know Governor Wallace doesn't mean no harm Can't you see he's got a lotta charm He's protecting us whites, both rich and poor Standin' in the schoolhouse door Crackin' jokes, talkin' to Huntley-Brinkley Serving jury duty, gettin' re-elected [Verse 7] So, I asked 'em why they spent their time With segregation on their mind They said "If you don't like to live this way Get outta here, go back to the U.S.A.  Live with all them Russians New York folksingers" [Verse 8] Some say they've passed their darkest hour Those moderates are back in power Oh, they listen close with open ears They'll help us out in a couple of hundred years But don't push 'em, whatever you do Or else you get those extremists back in [Verse 9] You see Alabama is a sovereign state With sovereign dogs and sovereign hate They stand for the Bible, for the Constitution They stand against Communist revolution They say "It's pinkos like you that freed the slaves" And they're right