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The black guy in the neighborhood

from Paradise regained - Album by Fred Guggenberger

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Let ́s face the truth: We still got Racism in this world. We still have to deal with discrimination. For what? It is a shame, that we are flying to the moon, using cellphones and know, what are cells are doing, when we sleep but (some of us are) still thinking, that the color of somebodys skin or the gender or hairstyle says, that this is a bad person. A person, that is worth less than we are. And that some of us believe, that it is giving them the right to treat such people bad, hurt them or kill them. Wake up!
As i wrote this song, i didn ́t wanted to beat those ideas. Kind of „this sucks and that sucks, too“. A wise lady once said: „It ́s better to be for peace than against war“ and she was right. So, this song is not against racism, it is for understanding and accepting people the way they are. And that some black guy can teach a young white boy a good lesson.

lyrics

Once i lived in a beautiful town. With a wonderful neighborhood.
Next to my house lived a black guy. Man that guy was good.
Little Joey, my landlords son fell in love with his young girl.
So he spoke what he learned from his friends, about black people in this world.

He asked the black guy about baseball and golden necklaces and rings. He told him that he loves the Blues and Gospel was his thing.
It was a funny thing to watch it, even it was not true.
Joey just tried to impress him, so the black guy told him what to do.

He said: Buddy ...
People wear different colors. So black is what i am.
But i ́m not your brother in the hood, i ́m Mr. Daniels.
If you want to be my friend, then just call me Sam.
But please stop to emulate a man that i not am.

Sam showed him his records. It was more than Hip Hop and Rap.
Sam was a fan of Mozart and he loved Johnny Cash.
Little Joeys World turned upside down, but he learned what is right:
You can ́t judge a book by its cover. Life is more than black and white.

He said:
I am white, you are black. That just how it is.
You ́re not „Sam Funky in da house“, you ́re Mr. Daniels.
I ́m proud to be your friend, so i just call you Sam.
I don ́t have to emulate a man that i not am.

Joey became a respected man. He got strong and he played fair.
His name was shining at the shields of record-stores everywhere.
He sold country records to black guys, and hip hop to the white.
He got married with Sams daughter. Still he plays baseball great :-)

I say:
Some are white, some are black, some are yellow or red.
And we all share the same dreams, when we ́re sleeping in our beds. Gone are the days when we saw the world on our tv ́s in black in white. Thank god for all the colors. They bring richness into our days.
Colors are made for painters, if you want to make it right:
Paint your life in every color. And your days will be rich and great!

credits

from Paradise regained - Album, released February 20, 2015

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Fred Guggenberger / Professor Black Sheep image

Fred Guggenberger / Professor Black Sheep Taufkirchen, Germany

Musician, Songwriter, Producer, Book Writer, Dog Dad and believing in the universal language and magic of music.

Bread feeds the body. Music feeds the soul.

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