The Ballad of Tommy Lee

Tommy Lee was a Black man, Born a poor man's son. From the early days of his wayward youth Tommy Lee was on the run. He never had no money, Not a penny or a dime. He was always in trouble, He was hungry all the time. Be proud of yo family My Son, you got a name, His Daddy ever told him, And don't put yo Mama to shame. But Tommy wouldn't listen, As he roamed those out of work streets, Stole a car and a gun at seventeen, Was chased down by the police. Seventeen years of crawling Tommy busted free and fled. Fired his gun and killed a man, In the street the man lay dead. A storm of hellfire came his way From uniforms of blue. The cry of anguished hurt and pain Through the night came bursting through. The gathering crowd just stood and stared His face was plain to see, That on that sad night he met his fate, The ballad of Tommy Lee.