Black Cross-Bob Dylan

This is the story of Hezekiah Jones Hezekiah Jones lived in a place in Arkansas. He never had too much except he had some land An' he had a couple of hogs and things like that. He never had much money But he'd spend what he did make as fast as he made it So it never really mattered that he had much money. But in a cupboard there He kept in the cupboard he kept in the cupboard books He called the books his "rainy season." The white folks around the county there talked about Hezekiah They said "Well old Hezekiah he's harmless enough But the way I see it he better put down them goddam books Readin' ain't no good for an ignorant nigger." One day the white man's preacher came around Knockin' on doors knockin' on all the doors in the county He knocked on Hezekiah's door. He says "Hezekiah you believe in the Lord" Hezekiah says "Well I don't know I never really SEEN the Lord I can't say yes I do " He says "Hezekiah you believe in the Church" Hezekiah says "Well the Church is divided ain't they And they can't make up their minds. I'm just like them I can't make up mine either." He says "Hezekiah you believe that if a man is good Heaven is his last reward" Hezekiah says "I'm good good as my neighbor." "You don't believe in nothin' " said the white man's preacher You don't believe in nothin'" "Oh yes I do " says Hezekiah "I believe that a man should be indebted to his neighbors Not for the reward of Heaven or fear of hellfire." "But you don't understand " said the white man's preacher "There's a lot of good ways for a man to be wicked " Then they hung Hezekiah high as a pigeon. White folks around there said "Well he had it comin' 'Cause the son-of-a-b**ch never had no religion"