Ain't No New Thing (breakdown take) Songtext
von Gil Scott‐Heron

Cultural rape and no geographical boundaries on white hate
And bizarre, scarcely concealed attempts to eliminate
Black generators of sun-heat feeling
Ain′t no new thing to see demon fangs curling out from under
Squeezed-tight, too-thin lips and leaping at
Jugular veins and burning black throats that either
Blow or sing or cry or scream

Ain't no new thing to see the bubbling envy flashing from the depths of
Soulless eyes, as still another link with God is created
We′re used to having white people try to rob us
Why don't they try stealing some of this poverty?
Ain't no new thing


Anything they can′t understand, they try to destroy
Anything they can′t understand, they try to control
In 1896, black men picked up brass instruments
And began to evoke and conjure
Entice and struggle with black spirits
Rhythmic spirits of blues, work songs
Gospel songs, freedom songs
And songs of love of mother night
Screaming rhythm, juju rhythm, voodoo rhythm
Black, black magic that calls
Back to lost worlds and lost lifestyles
Calling back to Genesis
Calling back to the drum
Calling back to the drum

In 1896, this new spasm was called "Ass"
But the "Ass" would not be kicked
So it was copied in an attempt to control it