I got a letter from the government the other day Opened it and read it, it said they were s**ers They wanted me for their army or whatever Picture me givin' a damn, I said, never Here is a land that never gave a damn About a brother like myself because I never did I wasn't with it but just that very minute It occurred to me, the s**ers had authority Cold sweatin' as I dwell in my cell How long has it been? They got me sittin' in the state pen I gotta get out, but that thought was thought before I contemplated a plan on the cell floor I'm not a fugitive on the run But a brother like me, begin to be another one Public enemy servin' time, they drew the line y'all They criticize me for some crime I got a letter, I got a letter, I got a letter Picture me givin' a damn, I said, never Mmm, mmm, mmm It occurred to me, the s**ers had authority Cold sweatin' as I dwell in my cell How long has it been? They got me sittin' in the state pen I gotta get out, but that thought was thought before I got a letter from the government the other day Opened it and read it, it said they were s**ers They wanted me for their army or whatever Picture me givin' a damn, I said, never Here is a land that never gave a damn About a brother like me and myself, because I never did I wasn't with it but just that very minute It occurred to me the s**ers had authority Cold sweatin' as I dwell in my cell How long has it been? They got me sittin' in the state pen I gotta get out but that thought was thought before I contemplated a plan on the cell floor I'm not a fugitive on the run I'm not a fugitive on the run Many switch in, switch on, switch off Many switch in, switch on, switch off Many switch in, switch on, switch off Many switch in, switch on, switch off Many switch in, switch on, switch off Nevertheless they could not understand I am a black man and I could never be a veteran On the strength of situations, I'm real I got a raw deal, so I'm lookin' for the steel, looking for the steel I got a letter from the government the other day Opened and read it, it said they were s**ers They wanted me for their army or whatever Picture me givin' a damn, I said, never Here is a land that never gave a damn About a brother like me and myself, because I never did I wasn't with it, but just that very minute It occurred to me the s**ers had authority Cold sweatin' as I dwell in my cell How long has it been? They got me sittin' in the state pen I gotta get out, but that thought was thought before I contemplated a plan on the cell floor I'm not a fugitive on the run, I'm not I'm not, I'm not a fugitive on the run But a brother like me, begun to be another one Public enemy servin' time, they drew the line y'all They'll criticize me for some crime I got a letter from the government the other day Opened it and read it, it said they were s**ers They wanted me for their army or whatever Picture me givin' a damn, I said, never Here is a land that never gave a damn About a brother like me and myself, because I never did I wasn't with it, but just that very minute Mmm, mmm, mmm I got a letter from the government the other day Opened it and read it, it said they were s**ers They wanted me for their army or whatever Picture me givin' a damn, I said, never Here is a land that never gave a damn