WELL, YOU WONDER WHY
I ALWAYS DRESS IN BLACK
WHY YOU NEVER SEE
BRIGHT COLOURS ON MY BACK
AND WHY DOES MY APPEARANCE
SEEM TO HAVE A SOMBRE TONE
WELL, THERE'S A REASON FOR
THE THINGS THAT I HAVE ON
I WEAR THE BLACK FOR THE
POOR AND THE BEATEN DOWN
LIVIN' IN THE HOPELESS
HUNGRY SIDE OF TOWN
I WEAR IT FOR THE PRISONER
WHO HAS LONG PAID
FOR HIS CRIME
BUT IS THERE BEAUSE
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 TALKIN'
STRAIGHT TO YOU AND ME
WELL, WE'RE DOIN' MIGHTY
FINE I DO SUPPOSE
IN OUR STREAK OF LIGHTNIN'
CARS AND 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 MOURNIN'
FOR THE LIVES
THAT COULD HAVE BEEN
EACH WEEK WE LOSE
A HUNDRED FINE YOUNG MEN
AND I WEAR IT FOR THE
THOUSANDS WHO HAVE DIED
BELIEVIN' THAT THE LORD
WAS ON THEIR SIDE
I WEAR IT FOR
ANOTHER HUNDRED
THOUSAND WHO HAVE DIED
BELIEVIN' THAT WE ALL
WERE ON THEIR SIDE
WELL, THERE'S THINGS THAT
NEVER WILL BE RIGHT I KNOW
AND THINGS NEED CHANGIN'
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