Black Cross (Hezekiah Jones) Songtext
von Bob Dylan

There was a man called Hezekiah Jones once
And he never had much, except for a farm and some land
He ate what he raised
But in the cupboard, he kept there in the cupboard
What he called for the rainy season
That is when he′d have something left over
He'd spend it on books
And he′d read his books, kept 'em around the cupboard

White folks around the county said
"Well, he's harmless enough, I suppose
But the way I look at it, he gotta put down them God-damn books
Readin′ ain′t no good for an ignorant nigga

Reverend Green of the Whiteman's church came around that year
Knockin′ on doors, he knocked on Hezekiah's door


He says, "Hezekiah, you believe in the Lord?"
Hezekiah says, "Well, I have never seen the Lord, I can′t say "yes I do"
Can't believe in nothing you don′t see"
He says, "Hezekiah, you believe in the church?"
Hezekiah says, "Well, eh, the church is divided, ain't they?
They can't make up their minds, I just like them, you know
I can′t make up my either"

Reverend says, "Hezekiah you believe in that
If a man is good, heaven is his last reward?"
Hezekiah says, "I′m good, I'm good, I′m as good as my neighbor"
"You don't believe in nothing," says the white man′s preacher
"Oh, oh, yes I do," says Hezekiah
"I believe that a man should be beholding to his neighbor
Not for the reward of the heaven or the fear of the hell fire"
"What you don't understand," says the white man′s preacher
"There's a lot of good ways for a man to be wicked"

That man hung Hezekiah, hmm
Is high up as a pigeon
White folks around said
"Well, he had it comin'
The son of a bitch never had no religion"