One night in Minneapolis
On the 25th of May
In a time of upheaval
And in a time of plague

In a time of doubt and trouble
When you’re afraid of where ya breathe
Doctors, nurses, dyin
Y’needin something to believe

A man was taken to the ground
I can see the picture still
For the crime of buyin cigarettes
With a fake 20 dollar bill

To his neck a knee 8 minutes, 46
I kid you not
He pleaded, cried, “I can’t breathe”
‘N to his dead Mom he called out

George Floyd, George Floyd
You did not die in vain
Good People risin up
In your name (2x

The pictures spread like fire
And the images they burned
Cross the land like a volcano
But what lesson could be learned

To some, business like usual
Where dark skin is a crime
In a land, in a country
Where it happens all the time

But somehow this was different
‘Cause it was more of the same
And at a time when love was needed
Just more nonsense and more shame

And the world took notice
And the world took to the streets
And the world echoed “I can’t breathe”
The world rose to its feet

George Floyd, George Floyd
You did not die in vain
Good People risin up
In your name (2x

And with masks to our faces
Cause the plague it didn’t stop
We rose up with our fury
Against the violence and the cops

And the call rang out for justice
Across the stricken land
But the fascists called for more blood
The fascists tipped their hand

But even with the armies
And the police crackin heads
Something real was growin
Through the concrete and lead

You did not ask for martyrdom
You can’t get back when they stole
But there aint no weapon ever made
That can rob you of your soul

George Floyd, George Floyd
You did not die in vain
Good People risin up/ In your name (2x

(lyrics: Dan Bern)