Chords for Gil Scott Heron - Message To The Messengers

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_ [C] _ _ _ _ _ _ [Bb] _
_ [C] _ _ _ [Bb] _ _ Hey there, we're the [C] same brothers from a long time ago.
We were talking about television and doing it on the radio.
What we did was to help our [Bb] generation realize they got to get out there and get [C] busy,
or it wasn't going to be televised.
[Gb] We got respect [Bb] for you rappers and the radio [C] freeway,
but if you're going to be [Bb] teaching folks things, be sure you know what you're saying.
[C] All the folks in our neighborhood got plenty of know-how.
Remember, if it [Bb] wasn't for them, [C] we wouldn't be out there now.
[Bb] I ain't coming at you with no disrespect.
All I'm saying is that [C] you damn well got to be correct.
Because if you're going to be speaking [Bb] for a whole generation,
[C] and you know enough to try and [Bb] handle their education,
be sure you know the real deal [C] about past situations.
It ain't just repeating what you heard on a local [Bb] TV station.
[C] Sometimes they tell lies and [Bb] put them in the truth with this guy.
[G] But the truth is, [C] that's why we said it wouldn't be televised.
[Gb] They don't know what to say to [Bb] our young folks, but they know [C] that you do.
If [Bb] they really knew the truth, why would they tell you?
[C] The first sign is peace.
Tell all them gun-toting young brothers, the [Bb] man is glad to see us out [C] there killing one another.
We raised [Bb] too much hell when they were [G] shooting us down,
so they started [C] poisoning our minds and trying [Gb] to get us all around.
[C] _
And then they tell us we've got to come in and control our [Bb] situation.
They want half of us on dope and the other half [C] in incarceration.
The ones they want dead, ain't killed by what they instigated,
they can put some dope on the brother's body and claim it [Bb] was drug-related.
Tell them drug [C]-related means there don't need to be no investigation,
or at least that's the way they're going to play it on the local TV [C] station.
All you [Bb] 9mm brothers, give them something to think about.
[C] Tell them you heard that this is the new word.
They've got to work that [Bb] stuff out.
[C] Because somehow they feel in the wrong way [Bb] with a gun in their hands.
They're feeling real independent, but they're just pulling contracts with a man.
I would [Bbm] say you're hopeless out there on the [C] avenue, but if they really knew the truth,
[Bb] why would they tell you?
And if they look at you [C] like you're insane and they start calling you scarecrow
and say you ain't got no [Bbm] brain, or start [C] telling folks that you've suddenly gone lame,
or [Bb] that white folks have finally co-opted your game,
[C] or worse yet, implying that you don't really know,
that's the same [Bb] thing they said about us [C] a long time ago.
_ [Bb] Young rappers, one more suggestion before I get out of your [C] way.
But I appreciate the respect you give me and what you've [Bb] got to say.
I'm saying [C] protect your community and spread that [Bb] respect around.
Tell brothers and sisters they've got to calm [C] that bullshit down,
because we're terrorizing our old folks and we brought [Bb] fear into our homes,
[C] and they ain't got to hang out with the senior [Bb] citizens.
Just tell them, damn it, leave the old folks alone.
[C] And we know who ripping off the neighborhood, telling that BS ain't got to stop.
Tell them you're sorry they can't handle it out there, but they've got [Bb] to take the crime off the block.
And if they look at you [C] like you think you're insane and they start calling you scarecrow,
thinking you ain't got no brain, [Bb] or start telling [C] folks that you've suddenly gone lame,
or that [Bb] white folks have suddenly co-opted your game,
[C] or worse yet, saying that you really don't know,
that's the same [Bb] thing they said about me a long [C] time ago.
And if they tell [Bb] folks that you finally lost your nerve,
that's the same thing they said [C] about us when we said [Gb] Johannesburg.
But I think [Bb] you young folks need to know that [C] things don't go both ways.
[Bb] You can't talk respect on every other song or just every [C] other day.
What I'm speaking on now is raps about the women [Bb] folks.
On one [C] song she's your African [Bb] queen, and on the next one she's a joker.
[G] And you ain't said no words [C] that I haven't heard, but that ain't no compliment.
It only insults, gave people out of 10, and questions your intelligence.
Four [Bb]-letter words or four-syllable words won't make you a poet.
It [C] will only magnify how shallow you are and let everybody know it.
[Bb] And if they look at you like [C] they think you're insane,
or they call you [Bb] scarecrow, thinking you ain't got no brain,
or start telling folks that [C] you've suddenly gone lame,
or that the white folks have finally co-opted your game, or you really don't know,
they said that about me a long [Bb] time ago.
If they finally start telling people that you lost [C] your nerve,
that's what they said about Johannesburg.
You ain't [Bb] insane.
You have [C] got a brain.
You haven't gone [Bb] lame.
You have got your [G] game.
Remember, you've [C] got the nerve.
[Eb] You've got the nerve.
[Bb] You've got the nerve.
[C] You've got the goose.
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_ [C] _ _ _ [Bb] _ _ _ _
_ [C] _ _ _ _ _ [Bb] www [C].mooji.org
_ [Ab] _ _ [G] _ _