Now on July 13th, 1977
The blackout, streets is lookin' like Armageddon
Swelterin' heat, suffocate in this Hell within' the 5 boroughs
It's like the Sun roastin' the Earth
The hood was called turf, my girl was thrown out of her church
Out of her home, and by her family, she's disowned

She's the love of my life, up to us to go on
And everything's burnin', buildings illuminated by the fire
And the city was lost, we tryna save it, the cross
The Star of David we lost
We started prayin' to governor, he a gangster
In cahoots with the mayor, the roof startin' to cave in
No, it's not a game, all is dark except the flame
Now nothin' will be the same
Now the whole world's changed
Music is soundin' different
Radio stations don't pump us up in their mix yet
Disco still gettin' that air time for big checks

Yo, somethin' gotta give
And somethin' gotta die so somethin' new can live