I ride by peace signs painted on the walls of the tenements,
A message from the mayor to the city and its residents,
Hopeful but never really echoing the sentiments,
Of the ones who would control these avenues...
Now the temperatures rise and tempers flare,
But he won't run no he's not scared,
And a mother's wailing fills the air,
On another lovely summer's afternoon...
Sun's out guns out draw or die
As the heat beats down from the clear blue sky
And the quickest trigger will survive the day,
Cos when that corner's all you've got
Can't waste no time on warning shots
Defend the block or perish in the fray...
I ride by street signs emblazoned with the names of dead presidents,
Though they never set foot and no they never were a denizen,
Empty shells on the ground being cataloged as evidence,
Just another footnote on the news at ten...
And a younger brother comes of age,
He's learned well how the game is played,
And with misplaced rage and a twenty gauge,
This vicious cycle can begin again...
Sun's out guns out draw or die
As the heat beats down from the clear blue sky
And the quickest trigger will survive the day,
Cos when that corner's all you've got
Can't waste no time on warning shots
Defend the block or perish in the fray...
I ride by birds as they chirp in the trees,
And I can feel the ocean breeze,
And another generation bleeds,
We need a little more effort down here,
Than just peace signs painted on the walls of the tenements...
Sun's out guns out draw or die
As the heat beats down from the clear blue sky
And the quickest trigger will survive the day,
Cos when that corner's all you've got
Can't waste no time on warning shots
Defend the block or perish in the fray.