[RILEY]
You hear a rumblin' and a rollin'?
It's comin' down from the North
It's comin' up through the ground
And it's a funny old sound
'Cause it's a rumblin' and a rollin'!

[ANGELA]
And I bet I know why—
See 'em on the train
See 'em on the bus—
They never cared much about folks like us!

[RILEY]
But now they're gonna pay attention
Sure they gonna ask, "Why? Why? Why?"

[ANGELA]
They gonna say, "I don't know what
I don't know how!"

[RILEY & ANGELA]
Well, they are gonna find out now
They're gonna pay attention

[RILEY]
They gonna yell, "Set that man free!"
[NEWT LEE]
Well, they sure ain't talkin' 'bout me

[RILEY, ANGELA & NEWT LEE]
Now there's a rumblin' and a rollin'
Here come the Yankee Brigade!

[NEWT LEE]
They gonna come through this town—
We better keep our heads down...

[RILEY & NEWT LEE]
We better start mumblin' and shufflin'

[RILEY, ANGELA & NEWT LEE]
We better polish our smiles

[CONLEY]
Old Black Joe at your service
Won't do nothin' that'll make you nervous
Won't do nothin' worth a look or a mention

[RILEY, ANGELA, NEWT LEE & CONLEY]
And they won't never pay attention!

[CONLEY]
They never say, "My! My! My!"
[RILEY]
They gonna say, "Bring me my boots!"

[ANGELA]
"Bring me my tea!"

[NEWT LEE]
I betcha thought the slaves were free...

[ANGELA]
Mr. Frank, good for you
Lotta folks comin' to get you through
Mr. Frank, ain't that grand?
Lotta folks comin' to take a stand
Mr. Frank, knock on wood
It ain't gonna do you no goddamn good!

[CONLEY]
I can tell you this, as a matter of fact
That the local hotels wouldn't be so packed
If a little black girl had gotten attacked

[NEWT LEE, RILEY & ANGELA]
Go on, go on, go on, go on...

[RILEY]
They're comin', they're comin' now, yessirree!
[NEWT LEE]
'Cause a white man gonna get hung, you see

[CONLEY, RILEY & NEWT LEE]
There's a black man swingin' in every tree

[RILEY, ANGELA, NEWT LEE & CONLEY]
But they don't never pay attention!

[ANGELA]
Oh, no...

[CONLEY]
Hell...

[RILEY, ANGELA, NEWT LEE & CONLEY]
They never say, "Why? Why? Why?"

[RILEY]
But if a Yankee boy flies...

[CONLEY]
Surprise!

[ANGELA & CONLEY]
Surprise!

[NEWT LEE]
Surprise!

[RILEY, ANGELA, NEWT LEE & CONLEY]
They gonna pay attention!
They gonna yell, "Set that man free!"

[CONLEY]
Dee dee dee dee dee dee dee
Dee dee, dee dee
Dee dee dee dee dee dee dee
Dee dee dee dee dee

[NEWT LEE, RILEY & ANGELA]
Oh, there'll be a rumblin' and a rollin', yeah, yeah...
There'll be a rumblin' and a rollin', yeah, yeah...
There'll be a rumblin' and a rollin', yeah, yeah...
There'll be a rumblin' and a rollin', yeah, yeah...