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roger street friedman - the ghosts of sugarland lyrics

one block east of ellis creek on highway 98
in the graveyard of the old imperial farm
the bones of convict laborers lay

up until their bones were found, their story went unheard
for the sons of b+tches that buried them away
didn’t want you to know a word

the slaves were freed in ’62 while the civil war raged
in ’65 the confederates lost the war and the wealth their slavery made

abolition was signed and sealed but held one fateful flaw:
“no man shall be a slave”, it said
“unless he broke the law”

and you can park your truck by the railroad track
look left to right but never back
plant survey stakes right where you stand
but you can’t silence the ghosts of sugarland

imperial sugar was built and thrived on the juice of the sugar cane
in the town of sugarland, texas on the backs of tortured slaves
on the bare heels of the civil war its fortunes had run dry
no free labor in the field on the mill and imperial sugar might die

and you can build your house of the finest wood
plant colorful gardens and water them good
pick your feather beds and your master plans
but you can’t silence the ghosts of sugarland
the white elite who’d lost the south were put right back in power
to see as equal those they once owned was a bitter pill and [?]
to share their streets and sidewalks caused a shame deep in their souls
[?] k!lled two birds with one stone

and you can build your kitchens with stainless steel
buff up the past on the grinding wheel
raise your c+cktail glass and wash your hands
but you can’t silence the ghosts of sugarland

the [?] into a felony
could pick a man up for vagrancy just walking down the street
for a petty offence, the fine too dear to pay the court its fee
so they could send ’em to the prison farm and lease them to the company

and you can pour your coffee in a fancy cup
[?] sugar and stir it up
hold your sweet daydreams and hold your hands
but you can’t silence the ghosts of sugarland

imperial sugar worked those men till their bodies were bent and torn
the h+llhole on the [?] was how imperial farm was known
just a lucky few survived that time, many more were left for dead
the ink on the company’s books was black
but the blood on its hands was red
and you can pay lip service to the golden rule
sugarcoat what gets taught in school
from your brand new homes on hallowed sand
but you can’t silence the ghosts of sugarland

no one knows the names of those buried in these graves
history’s been covered up and mostly washed away
all that stands to mark this site is one white wooden cross
a rusty gate and a few small stones, not one sign of remorse

and you can dress yourselves in your sunday best
pray to the lord for a day of rest
wave your plastic flags and your paper fans
but you can’t silence the ghosts of sugarland

tell me if those spirits rose, what is it they’d say?
to look over the landscape at where things stand today
they’d tell us not to be afraid of what history might teach
they’d say that we must make this land more just, humane, and free

if we open our ears we’ll hear their call
to see the [?] that bind each to all
and seek the truth with hearts and hands
and free the ghosts of sugarland

and free the ghosts of sugarland

- roger street friedman lyrics

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