Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos

Song Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
Artist Public Enemy
Album It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

Lyrics

[00:28.660] I got a letter from the government the other day
[00:31.620] I opened and read it
[00:32.940] It said they were suckers
[00:34.620] They wanted me for their army or whatever
[00:36.860] Picture me given’ a damn I said never
[00:39.740] Here is a land that never gave a damn
[00:41.860] About a brother like me and myself
[00:43.720] Because they never did
[00:45.100] I wasn’t wit’ it but just that very minute…
[00:47.620] It occured to me
[00:48.840] The suckers had authority
[00:50.620] Cold sweatin’ as I dwell in my cell
[00:52.680] How long has it been?
[00:53.72] They got me sittin’ in the state pen
[00:55.720] I gotta get out – but that thought was thought before
[00:58.380] I contemplated a plan on the cell floor
[01:00.940] I’m not a fugitive on the run
[01:02.920] But a brother like me begun – to be another one
[01:06.380] Public enemy servin’ time – they drew the line y’allPublic enemy
[01:09.600] To criticize me some crime – never the less
[01:12.220] They could not understand that I’m a Black man
[01:14.840] And I could never be a veteran
[01:16.720] On the strength, the situation’s unreal
[01:18.860] I got a raw deal, so I’m goin’ for the steel
[01:31.620] They got me rottin’ in the time that I’m servin’
[01:34.500] Tellin’ you what happened the same time they’re throwin’
[01:37.180] 4 of us packed in a cell like slaves – oh well
[01:40.420] The same motherfucker got us livin’ in his hell
[01:43.320] You have to realize – what is a form of slavery
[01:46.280] Organized under a swarm of devils
[01:48.840] Straight up – word’em up on the level
[01:50.940] The reasons are several, most of them federal
[01:53.740] Here is my plan anyway and I say
[01:55.820] I got gusto, but only some I can trust – yo
[01:59.000] Some do a bid from 1 to 10
[02:02.660] And I never did, and plus I never been
[02:03.800] I’m on a tier where no tears should ever fall
[02:06.620] Cell block and locked – I never clock it y’all
[02:09.240] ‘Cause time and time again time
[02:10.880] They got me servin’ to those and to them
[02:13.640] I’m not a citizen
[02:15.040] But ever when I catch a C-O
[02:17.340] Sleepin’ on the job – my plan is on go-ahead
[02:20.020] On the strength, I’ma tell you the deal
[02:22.180] I got nothin’ to lose
[02:24.400] ‘Cause I’m goin’ for the steel
[02:55.800] Dont you know I caught a C-O
[02:57.820] Fallin’ asleep on death row
[02:59.880] I grabbed his gun – then he did what I said so
[03:02.600] And everyman’s got served
[03:04.900] Along with the time they served
[03:06.400] Decency was deserved
[03:07.860] To understand my demands
[03:09.160] I gave a warnin’ – I wanted the governor, y’all
[03:11.760] And plus the warden to know
[03:13.200] That I was innocent
[03:14.360] Because I’m militant
[03:15.400] Posing a threat, you bet it’s fuckin’ up the government
[03:18.400] My plan said I had to get out and break north
[03:21.040] Just like with Oliver’s neck
[03:22.280] I had to get off – my boys had the feds in check
[03:25.020] They couldn’t do nuthin’
[03:26.440] We had a force to instigate a prison riot
[03:28.620] This is what it takes for peace
[03:30.300] So I just took the piece
[03:31.960] Black for Black inside time to cut the leash
[03:33.980] Freedom to get out – to the ghetto – no sell out
[03:36.720] 6 C-Os we got we ought to put their head out6
[03:39.520] But I’ll give ’em a chance, cause I’m civilized
[03:42.120] As for the rest of the world, they can’t realize
[03:44.480] A cell is hell – I’m a rebel so I rebel
[03:47.480] Between bars, got me thinkin’ like an animal
[03:50.060] Got a woman C-O to call me a copter
[03:52.720] She tried to get away, and I popped her
[03:55.180] Twice, right
[03:56.220] Now who wanna get nice?
[03:57.340] I had 6 C-Os, now it’s 5 to go
[04:00.000] And I’m serious – call me delirious
[04:02.56] But I’m still a captive
[04:04.60] I gotta rap this
[04:05.720] Time to break as time grows intense
[04:07.860] I got the steel in my right hand
[04:09.960] Now I’m lookin’ for the fence
[04:21.280] I ventured into the courtyard
[04:23.600] Followed by 52 brothers
[04:25.240] Bruised, battered, and scarred but hard
[04:27.180] Goin’ out with a bang
[04:28.400] Ready to bang out
[04:29.340] But power from the sky
[04:30.480] And from the tower shots rang out
[04:32.340] A high number of dose – yes
[04:33.920] And some came close
[04:34.820] Figure I trigger my steel
[04:36.020] Stand and hold my post
[04:37.420] This is what I mean – an anti-nigger machine
[04:39.780] If I come out alive and then they won’t – come clean
[04:42.400] And then I threw up my steel bullets – flew up
[04:46.660] Blew up, who shot…
[04:47.940] What, who, the bazooka was who
[04:50.180] And to my rescue, it was the S1W
[04:53.580] Secured my getaway, so I just got away
[04:55.880] The joint broke, from the black smoke
[04:58.200] Then they saw it was rougher than the average bluffer
[05:00.880] Cause the steel was black, the attitude exact
[05:03.580] Now the chase is on tellin’ you to c’mon
[05:06.100] 53 brothers on the run, and we are gone?

Pinyin

[00:28.660] I got a letter from the government the other day
[00:31.620] I opened and read it
[00:32.940] It said they were suckers
[00:34.620] They wanted me for their army or whatever
[00:36.860] Picture me given' a damn I said never
[00:39.740] Here is a land that never gave a damn
[00:41.860] About a brother like me and myself
[00:43.720] Because they never did
[00:45.100] I wasn' t wit' it but just that very minute
[00:47.620] It occured to me
[00:48.840] The suckers had authority
[00:50.620] Cold sweatin' as I dwell in my cell
[00:52.680] How long has it been?
[00:53.72] They got me sittin' in the state pen
[00:55.720] I gotta get out but that thought was thought before
[00:58.380] I contemplated a plan on the cell floor
[01:00.940] I' m not a fugitive on the run
[01:02.920] But a brother like me begun to be another one
[01:06.380] Public enemy servin' time they drew the line y' allPublic enemy
[01:09.600] To criticize me some crime never the less
[01:12.220] They could not understand that I' m a Black man
[01:14.840] And I could never be a veteran
[01:16.720] On the strength, the situation' s unreal
[01:18.860] I got a raw deal, so I' m goin' for the steel
[01:31.620] They got me rottin' in the time that I' m servin'
[01:34.500] Tellin' you what happened the same time they' re throwin'
[01:37.180] 4 of us packed in a cell like slaves oh well
[01:40.420] The same motherfucker got us livin' in his hell
[01:43.320] You have to realize what is a form of slavery
[01:46.280] Organized under a swarm of devils
[01:48.840] Straight up word' em up on the level
[01:50.940] The reasons are several, most of them federal
[01:53.740] Here is my plan anyway and I say
[01:55.820] I got gusto, but only some I can trust yo
[01:59.000] Some do a bid from 1 to 10
[02:02.660] And I never did, and plus I never been
[02:03.800] I' m on a tier where no tears should ever fall
[02:06.620] Cell block and locked I never clock it y' all
[02:09.240] ' Cause time and time again time
[02:10.880] They got me servin' to those and to them
[02:13.640] I' m not a citizen
[02:15.040] But ever when I catch a CO
[02:17.340] Sleepin' on the job my plan is on goahead
[02:20.020] On the strength, I' ma tell you the deal
[02:22.180] I got nothin' to lose
[02:24.400] ' Cause I' m goin' for the steel
[02:55.800] Dont you know I caught a CO
[02:57.820] Fallin' asleep on death row
[02:59.880] I grabbed his gun then he did what I said so
[03:02.600] And everyman' s got served
[03:04.900] Along with the time they served
[03:06.400] Decency was deserved
[03:07.860] To understand my demands
[03:09.160] I gave a warnin' I wanted the governor, y' all
[03:11.760] And plus the warden to know
[03:13.200] That I was innocent
[03:14.360] Because I' m militant
[03:15.400] Posing a threat, you bet it' s fuckin' up the government
[03:18.400] My plan said I had to get out and break north
[03:21.040] Just like with Oliver' s neck
[03:22.280] I had to get off my boys had the feds in check
[03:25.020] They couldn' t do nuthin'
[03:26.440] We had a force to instigate a prison riot
[03:28.620] This is what it takes for peace
[03:30.300] So I just took the piece
[03:31.960] Black for Black inside time to cut the leash
[03:33.980] Freedom to get out to the ghetto no sell out
[03:36.720] 6 COs we got we ought to put their head out6
[03:39.520] But I' ll give ' em a chance, cause I' m civilized
[03:42.120] As for the rest of the world, they can' t realize
[03:44.480] A cell is hell I' m a rebel so I rebel
[03:47.480] Between bars, got me thinkin' like an animal
[03:50.060] Got a woman CO to call me a copter
[03:52.720] She tried to get away, and I popped her
[03:55.180] Twice, right
[03:56.220] Now who wanna get nice?
[03:57.340] I had 6 COs, now it' s 5 to go
[04:00.000] And I' m serious call me delirious
[04:02.56] But I' m still a captive
[04:04.60] I gotta rap this
[04:05.720] Time to break as time grows intense
[04:07.860] I got the steel in my right hand
[04:09.960] Now I' m lookin' for the fence
[04:21.280] I ventured into the courtyard
[04:23.600] Followed by 52 brothers
[04:25.240] Bruised, battered, and scarred but hard
[04:27.180] Goin' out with a bang
[04:28.400] Ready to bang out
[04:29.340] But power from the sky
[04:30.480] And from the tower shots rang out
[04:32.340] A high number of dose yes
[04:33.920] And some came close
[04:34.820] Figure I trigger my steel
[04:36.020] Stand and hold my post
[04:37.420] This is what I mean an antinigger machine
[04:39.780] If I come out alive and then they won' t come clean
[04:42.400] And then I threw up my steel bullets flew up
[04:46.660] Blew up, who shot
[04:47.940] What, who, the bazooka was who
[04:50.180] And to my rescue, it was the S1W
[04:53.580] Secured my getaway, so I just got away
[04:55.880] The joint broke, from the black smoke
[04:58.200] Then they saw it was rougher than the average bluffer
[05:00.880] Cause the steel was black, the attitude exact
[05:03.580] Now the chase is on tellin' you to c' mon
[05:06.100] 53 brothers on the run, and we are gone?