Go 'head, Mr. Wendal
This is so old school... and to think it actually makes sense now that i'm not in kindergarten.
HERE HAVE A DOLLAR, IN FACT NAW BROTHERMAN HERE HAVE TWO.
TWO DOLLARS MEANS A SNACK FOR ME, BUT IT MEANS A BIG DEAL TO YOU.
"BE STRONG, SERVE GOD ONLY, KNOW THAT IF YOU DO
BEAUTIFUL HEAVEN AWAITS."
THAT'S THE POEM I WROTE FOR THE FIRST TIME, I SAW
A MAN WITH NO CLOTHES, NO MONEY, NO PLATE.
MR. WENDAL, THAT'S HIS NAME, NO ONE EVER KNEW
HIS NAME 'CUZ HE'S A NO ONE.
NEVER THOUGHT TWICE ABOUT SPENDING ON AND OLE' BUM,
UNTIL I HAD THE CHANCE TO REALLY GET TO KNOW ONE!
NOW THAT I KNOW 'EM TO GIVE HIM MONEY ISN'T CHARITY, HE GIVES ME
SOME KNOWLEDGE, I BUY HIM SOME SHOES.
AND TO THINK BLACKS SPEND ALL THAT MONEY ON BIG COLLEGES,
STILL MOST OF YAW'LL COME OUT CONFUSED... GO AHEAD MR. WENDAL.
MR. WENDAL HAS FREEDOM, A FREE THAT YOU AND I THINK IS DUMB.
FREE TO BE WITHOUT THE WORRIES OF A QUICK TO DISS SOCIETY,
FOR MR. WENDAL'S A BUM.
HIS ONLY WORRIES ARE SICKNESS AND AN OCCASIONAL HARASSMENT,
BY THE POLICE AND THEIR CHASE.
UNCIVILIZED WE CALL HIM, BUT I JUST SAW HIM
EAT OFF THE FOOD WE WASTE.
CIVILIZATION. ARE WE REALLY CIVILIZED, YES OR NO,
WHO ARE WE TO JUDGE?
WHEN THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT MEN COULD BE
BRUTALLY ENSLAVED AND
KILLED OVER A RACIST GRUDGE.
MR. WENDAL HAS TRIED TO WARN US ABOUT OUR WAYS
BUT WE DON'T HEAR HIM TALK.
IS IT HIS FAULT WHEN WE'VE GONE TOO FAR?
AND WE GOT TOO FAR 'CAUSE ON HIM WE WALK.
MR. WENDAL, A MAN, A HUMAN IN FLESH, BUT NOT BY LAW.
I FEED YOU DIGNITY TO STAND WITH PRIDE
REALIZE THAT ALL IN ALL YOU STAND TALL...
GO AHEAD MR. WENDAL. MR. WENDAL... YEAH, LORD, MR. WENDAL.
HERE HAVE A DOLLAR, IN FACT NAW BROTHERMAN HERE HAVE TWO.
TWO DOLLARS MEANS A SNACK FOR ME, BUT IT MEANS A BIG DEAL TO YOU.
"BE STRONG, SERVE GOD ONLY, KNOW THAT IF YOU DO
BEAUTIFUL HEAVEN AWAITS."
THAT'S THE POEM I WROTE FOR THE FIRST TIME, I SAW
A MAN WITH NO CLOTHES, NO MONEY, NO PLATE.
MR. WENDAL, THAT'S HIS NAME, NO ONE EVER KNEW
HIS NAME 'CUZ HE'S A NO ONE.
NEVER THOUGHT TWICE ABOUT SPENDING ON AND OLE' BUM,
UNTIL I HAD THE CHANCE TO REALLY GET TO KNOW ONE!
NOW THAT I KNOW 'EM TO GIVE HIM MONEY ISN'T CHARITY, HE GIVES ME
SOME KNOWLEDGE, I BUY HIM SOME SHOES.
AND TO THINK BLACKS SPEND ALL THAT MONEY ON BIG COLLEGES,
STILL MOST OF YAW'LL COME OUT CONFUSED... GO AHEAD MR. WENDAL.
MR. WENDAL HAS FREEDOM, A FREE THAT YOU AND I THINK IS DUMB.
FREE TO BE WITHOUT THE WORRIES OF A QUICK TO DISS SOCIETY,
FOR MR. WENDAL'S A BUM.
HIS ONLY WORRIES ARE SICKNESS AND AN OCCASIONAL HARASSMENT,
BY THE POLICE AND THEIR CHASE.
UNCIVILIZED WE CALL HIM, BUT I JUST SAW HIM
EAT OFF THE FOOD WE WASTE.
CIVILIZATION. ARE WE REALLY CIVILIZED, YES OR NO,
WHO ARE WE TO JUDGE?
WHEN THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT MEN COULD BE
BRUTALLY ENSLAVED AND
KILLED OVER A RACIST GRUDGE.
MR. WENDAL HAS TRIED TO WARN US ABOUT OUR WAYS
BUT WE DON'T HEAR HIM TALK.
IS IT HIS FAULT WHEN WE'VE GONE TOO FAR?
AND WE GOT TOO FAR 'CAUSE ON HIM WE WALK.
MR. WENDAL, A MAN, A HUMAN IN FLESH, BUT NOT BY LAW.
I FEED YOU DIGNITY TO STAND WITH PRIDE
REALIZE THAT ALL IN ALL YOU STAND TALL...
GO AHEAD MR. WENDAL. MR. WENDAL... YEAH, LORD, MR. WENDAL.