Lord why was I born in Mississippi,
when it's so hard to get ahead
Why was I born in Mississippi,
when it's so hard to get ahead
Every black child born in Mississippi
you know the poor child is born dead

When he came into the world
the doctor spank him, the black baby cry
When he came into the world
the doctor spank him, the black baby cry
Everybody thought he had a life
and that's why the black baby died

He will never speak his language
the poor baby will never speak his mind
Lord he will never speak his language
the poor baby will never speak his mind
The poor child will never know his mind
why in the world he's so poor

Lord why was I born in Mississippi
when it's so hard to get ahead
Lord why was I born in Mississippi
when it's so hard to get ahead
Every black child born in Mississippi
you know the poor child was born dead