The MC5 version of the John Lee Hooker song about the 1967 Detroit riot.
“Ya know, the Motor City is burning, babe
There ain’t a thing in the world they can do
Ya know, the Motor City is burning people
There ain’t a thing that white society can do
My home town burning down to the ground
Worser than Vietnam
Let me tell you how it started now
It started on 12th and Clairmont that morning
It made the pig cops all jump and shout
I said, it started on 12th and Clairmont that morning
It made the the pigs in the street freak out
The fire wagons kept comin’, baby
But the Black Panther snipers wouldn’t let them put it out
Wouldn’t let them put it out, wouldn’t let them put it out
Well, there were fire bombs bursting all around the people
Ya know there was soldiers standing everywhere
I said there was fire bombs bursting all around me, baby
Ya know there was National Guard everywhere
I can hear my people screaming
Sirens fill the air, fill the air, fill the air
Your mama, papa don’t know what the trouble is
You see, they don’t know what it’s all about
I said, your mama, papa don’t know what the trouble is, baby
They just can’t see what it’s all about
I said, the Motor City is burning, people
I ain’t hanging ’round to fight it out
I said, the Motor City is burning, people
Just not hanging around to fight it out
Now, I guess it’s true
I’d just might strike a match for freedom myself
I may be a white boy but I can be bad, too
Yes, it’s true now, yes, it’s true now.”