Black Messiah 



written by Ray Davies

performed by The Kinks

from "Misfits", 1978

transcribed by Peter Eybert 

	

	

C                 G

Everybody got the right to speak their mind

Bb                           F      f g g# (single notes)

so don't shoot me for saying mine.



F         A7                     Dm      Dm/C  Bb

Everybody talking about racial equality

     F           A7                       Dm    Dm/C  Bb

'cos everybody's equal in the good Lord's eyes.

    F                  C                            Dm            Dm/C Bb

But if I told you that God was black what would you think of that

F                     C        F  

I bet you wouldn't believe it.



          F6                A7                   Dm  Dm/C Bb

There's a self made prophet living right next to me

            F                     A7                           Dm  Dm/C Bb

he said the Black Messiah's gonna come and set the whole world free.

   F                     C               Dm         Dm/C Bb

He looked at me with his evil eye and he prophesied

F               C          F    f g g# a  

and he really believed it.



          A7        Dm     A7                     Dm

He said a Black Messiah is gonna set the world on fire

    F       C          C7                     F 

and he's no liar, 'cos he has truly heard the word.



F         A7                     Dm     Dm/C Bb

Everybody talking about racial equality

            F          A7                     Dm    Dm/C Bb

but I'm the only honky living on an all black street

     F                  C              Dm     Dm/C Bb

they knock me down 'cos they brown and I white.



C                 G

Everybody got the right to speak their mind

Bb                           F     f g g#

so don't shoot me for saying mine.



F         A7                     Dm     Dm/C Bb

F         A7                     Dm     Dm/C Bb

F         A7                     Dm     Dm/C Bb

Everybody talking about racial equality

         F         A7                  Dm     Dm/C Bb

you hear everybody talking about equal rights.

    F              C                 Dm          Dm/C Bb

But white's white, black's black and that's that

F              C              F          f g g# a

and that's the way you should leave it.



              A7        Dm     A7                        Dm

Don't want no Black Messiah to come and set the world on fire

  F         C      C7             C13      F

a Black Messiah is gonna come and rule the world

F                A7                     Dm   Dm/C Bb

Everybody got to show a little give and take

F                A7                      Dm   Dm/C Bb

Everybody got to live with a little less hate

F               C                     Dm          Dm/C Bb

Everybody gotta work it out, we gotta sort it out.



C                 G

Everybody got the right to speak their mind

Bb                           F

so don't shoot me for saying mine.