Well you wonder why
I'm always dressed in black
Why you never see bright
colors on my back
And why does my appearance
seem to have a somber tone
Well there's a reason
for the things that I have on
I wear the black for the poor
and the beaten down
Living in the hopeless
hungry side of town
I wear it for the prisoner
who has long paid for his crime
But is there because
he's a victim of the times
I wear the black for those
who've never read
Or listened to the words
that Jesus said
About the road to happiness
through love and charity
Why you'd think he's talking
straight to you and me
Well we're doin' mighty fine
I do suppose
In our streak of lightnin'
cars and our fancy clothes
But just so we're reminded
of the ones who are held back
Up front there oughta
be a man in black
I wear it for the
sick and lonely old
For the reckless ones whose
bad trip left them cold
I wear the black in mourning
for the lives that
could have been
Each week we lose a
hundred fine young men
I wear it for the thousands
who have died
Believing that the Lord
was on their side
I wear it for another hundred
thousand who have died
Believing that we all were
on their side
Well there's things that never
will be right I know
And things need changing
everywhere you go
But til we start to
make a move to make
a few things right
You'll never see me
wear a suit of white
Oh I'd love to wear
a rainbow every day
And tell the world
that everything's okay
But I'll try to carry off
a little darkness on my back
'Til things are brighter
I'm the man in black