Oh, the motor city's burnin'
It ain't no thing in the world that I can do
Don't ya know
Don't ya know the big D is burnin'?
Ain't no thing in the world that Johnny can do
My home town burnin' down to the ground
Worser than Viet Nam

Well, it started on 12th and Clairmont, this mornin'
I just don't know what it's all about
Well, it started on 12th and Clairmont, this mornin'
I don't know what it's all about
The fire wagon kept comin'
The snipers just wouldn't let 'em put it out

Fire bomb bustin' all around me
An' soldiers was ev'rywhere
Well, fire bomb fallin' all around me
And soldiers standin' ev'rywhere
I could hear the people screaming
Sirens fill the air

I don't know what the trouble is
I can't stay around to find it out
I don't know, I don't know
What the trouble is, this mo'nin'
I just can't stay around to find it out
Takin' my wife an my family
And little Johnny Lee is clearin' out
The motor city's burnin'
Ain't a thing that I can do
Well, the motor city's burnin'
Ain't a thing that I can do
I just hope, people
It'll never happen to you
Yes, yes, I could hear the fireman
Said, 'Look, get outta here
It's too hot'