Audio produced by T Bone Burnett and David Leonard
Take the cork he said We were out
Walking it made me feel free he said
I stopped walking I said I’m sorry I beg
Your pardon Takethecork do you mean
Blackface Yes that’s right he said It’s
Natural to want tobedifferent to want
To feel free OhWhiteBoy oh Lord
Oh tell me sir yes tell me how you want
To FeelFree ole boy here on my street
Tell me do I make you free am I
Your new black face I mean my black
Face next to yours my black mouth
On your mouth does that free you
From your trim white body like
That cork do am I just your little
Thick black sweet cork screw Youknow
Howitworks he said After your parents
Have opened the bottle of wine take one
And burn the bottom Takeone
I said One what I said Oh the cork
I said Oh right oh white boy oh Lord
Oh the street fell away oh I’d let you
Put your hands on my body in both
Of our wanting and now you say
Blackface and you say Free and you say
Natural and you look at me and you say
Free again and Burnthebottom and
Before I can conjure your young white
Hands with they match burned cork
Smudging your face till it Feels
Black and free I am afraid
Of how much You don’t know and
I am afraid of how much I can stand
Oh white boy Oh Lord Oh Takeyourcork
Put it back in the bottle yes stop up
Everything left of that strange nostalgia
Stop looking to Feel free in my skin
Oh give it back to me without the burn
Without the cork My skin looks
To you like the freedom your skin is