Jack Johnson
This Bike Is A Pipe BombVersion1
90
Chords in this song
Strum
D-DU-UDU
Have you heard about Jack Johnson, hes a hero in this land.
I don't like to sing about boxing but I hope you'll understand.
It was the 1st year they gave the heavyweight title to a black man,
and in 1908 it ain't so easy.
He was born right after slavery died, right after reconstruction died,
he was born right after none of that stuff really died.
It never died at all
He would walk down the streets wearing gold and diamonds,
always hold his head up high.
And he never had to say yes sir or no sir to the white folks as they passed
him by,
or as he passed them by.
So the great white hope was pulled out of retirement
to nurse the bruised and damaged white pride.
And when Johnson beat him down there wasn't a man around at his side.
And when the fight was over, there was beatings and murders.
The worst race riot this country has seen.
And all because they didn't want a black man.
All because they didn't want a black man.
They couldn't stand to see a black man winning in their ring.
Yeah, who said heroes have to be role models?
Who said heroes have to be role models?
Who said heroes have to be role models, anyway?
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Readable chord sheet for Jack Johnson by This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb
[C]Have you heard about Jack Johns[Am]on, hes a hero[G] in this land. I don't li[C]ke to sing about boxing but I h[C]ope you'll unde[G]rstand. It was the 1[C]st year they gave the heavyweight t[G]itle to a black man, and in 19[C]08 it ain't so e[G]asy. [C] [G] [C] [G] He was b[Am]orn right after slavery d[G]ied, r[Am]ight after reconst[G]ruction died, he was b[Am]orn right after n[F]one of that stuff really d[G]ied. It never d[C]ied at a[G]ll [C] [G] He would w[D]alk down the streets wearing g[G]old and diamonds, always h[D]old his head up h[G]igh. And he ne[C]ver had to say yes s[G]ir or no sir to the wh[Am]ite folks as they passed him b[G]y, or [C]as he passed them [G]by. [C] [G] So the gr[F]eat white hope was pulled out of retirement to nurse the br[G]uised and damaged white pride. And when Jo[C]hnson beat him d[Am]own there wasn't a [D]man a[G]round at his si[C]de.[G] [C] [G] And w[G]hen the fight was over, there was beatings and murders. The wo[C]rst race riot t[Am]his country has s[G]een. And a[C]ll because they didn't want a [G]black man. A[C]ll because they didn't want a b[Am]lack man. They co[C]uldn't stand to see a bl[G]ack man winning in their r[C]ing.[G] [C] [G] Yeah, w[D]ho said heroes have to [G]be role m[C]odels? W[D]ho said heroes have to [G]be role m[C]odels? W[D]ho said heroes have to [G]be role m[C]odels, [G]anyw[C]ay?