Chain gang

"Chain Gang" è il titolo di una splendida canzone di Same Cooke (1931-1964), uno dei fondatori della "Soul music", autore di brani memorabili come "Wonderful world" e "You send me". Oltre alla professione di cantante Cooke fu imprenditore e mise su una casa discografica ed una casa editrice; si impegnò anche nella lotta al razzismo collaborando col Movimento per i Diritti Civili. "Chain gang" è probabilmente la canzone più importante e bella di Cooke: possiede una melodia ed un ritmo trascinanti; il testo, semplice e profondo, parla della durissima vita dei prigionieri condannati ai lavori forzati, delle loro speranze e delle loro richieste disperate.



CHAIN GANG
(Sam Cooke - Charles Cooke)

I hear somethin' sayin'
(Hooh! aah!) (hooh! aah!)
(Hooh! aah!) (hooh! aah!)
(Well, don't you know)
That's the sound of the men working on the chain ga-a-ang
That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang
All day long they're singin'
(Hooh! aah!) (hooh! aah!)
(Hooh! aah!) (hooh! aah!)
(Well, don't you know)
That's the sound of the men working on the chain ga-a-ang
That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang
All day long they work so hard
Till the sun is goin' down
Working on the highways and byways
And wearing, wearing a frown
You hear them moanin' their lives away
Then you hear somebody sa-ay
That's the sound of the men working on the chain ga-a-ang
That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang
Can't ya hear them singin'
Mm, I'm goin' home one of these days
I'm goin' home see my woman
Whom I love so dear
But meanwhile I got to work right he-ere
(Well, don't you know)
That's the sound of the men working on the chain ga-a-ang
That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang
All day long they're singin', mm
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my work is so hard
Give me water, I'm thirsty
My work is so hard