[Verse 1]
It was the morning of October 6th, 1960
I was wearing my brown suit
Preparing to leave the house of D
Shook some hands then adios Brooklyn, amigos
Maybe some of them had hopes of seeing me again
Some even said that my judge-
Judge Gerald Culkin-
Wouldn't play it by the book
Maybe let us off the hook
But, woh-oo-woh, I knew better

[Chorus 1]
Afraid to leave the projects
To cross into another neighborhood
The blancos and the n***a gangs
Well, they'd kill you if they could

[Chorus 2]
Angel of mercy, people are suffering
All over the world
Spanish children are taught on their knees
To believe
Angel of mercy, people are suffering
All over the island tonight
Mothers weep
Sisters grieve
[Verse 2]
Well, I entered the courtroom, state of New York
County of New York, just some spic
They scrubbed off the sidewalk
Guilty by my dress
Guilty in the press
Let the Capeman burn for the murder
Well the "spanish boys" had their day in court
And now it was time for some fucking law and order
The electric chair
For the greasy pair
Said the judge to the court reporter

[Chorus 1]
Afraid to leave the projects
To cross into another neighborhood
The newspapers and the t.v. crews
Well, they'd kill you if they could

[Chorus 2]
Angel of mercy, people are suffering
All over the world
A spanish boy could be killed every night of
The week

[Verse 3]
But just let some white boy die
And the world goes crazy for blood - latin blood
I don't lie when I speak
Well they shackled my hands
A heavy belt around my waist to restrain me
And they shackled my legs
Hernandez, the "umbrella man," chained beside me
Then we rode that black mariah
Through the streets of Spanish Harlem
Calling old friends on the corners
Just to lay our prayers upon them
[Outro]
Crying
Adios hermanos, adios
Adios hermanos, adios