[Verse 1]
Now, it wasn't too very long ago
You know, some folks walked with a hi-dee-ho
And other folks walked around kind of low

[Refrain]
Sayin', "Yowzah"
"Sho' 'nuff"
And "Yassuh, boss"

[Verse 2]
It was ashes to ashes, dust to dust
They didn't believe in makin' no fuss
Just kept on movin' to the back of the bus

[Refrain]
Sayin', "Yowzah"
And "Sho' 'nuff"
And "Yassuh, boss"

[Verse 3]
Yeah, they perspired, they expired
Still, they never got no higher
As a matter of fact they got sort of tired

[Refrain]
Of sayin', "Yowzah"
And "Sho' 'nuff"
And "Yassuh, boss"
[Verse 4]
So they went right out, and they done a little prayin'
A little arm wavin' and a little bit of swayin'
Still in all they kept right on sayin'

[Refrain]
"Yowzah"
And "Sho' 'nuff"
And "Yassuh, boss"

[Verse 5]
They were still shinin' shoes, still fryin' chicken
Still washin' floors, watermelon pickin'
'Til finally they got damn sick of sayin'

[Refrain]
"Yowzah"
And "Sho' 'nuff"
And "Yassuh, boss"

[Verse 6]
So they went out, and they done a little standin'
A little less askin', a lot more demandin'
A little more thinkin' and demonstratin'
And a little less hopin' and a little waitin'
[Verse 7]
Yeah, a little less liftin' and a little less totin'
And a lot more writin' and a lot more votin'
A lot more marchin' and a lot more walkin'
'Til hardly anybody at all was talkin'

[Refrain]
Like "Yowzah"
And "Sho' 'nuff"
And "Yassuh, boss"

[Verse 8]
Now, the moral of my story is plain to see
They finally achieved equality
Now, like you and me they stand up strong and free

[Outro]
And say, "Yes, sir"
"Uh, buh, buh, wah, wah, well, of course, sir"
"Eh, eh, anything you say, JB"