Knees on the Ground

[Verse 1]

Cumulus clouds sitting up high

Shape-shifting aimless and slow

The breeze is easy, it moves by

Timid, more whisper than blow

Telephone wires, they buzz live

Blackbird is frozen in flight

Low-hanging sun makes a orange sky

Silhouettes in a backlight

Black shingled roofs are all bright-trimmed

The trim the same on the windows

8-year-old girl, color caramel skin

Pink barrettes and color pencils

Stares, her mouth open and eyes wide

As the crowd gathers below

They heard the shouts and they knew why

Grab cellphones pressing record

Blue uniform and a badge on

Showing no fear in his eyes

Stands in the street with his gun drawn

Military issue .45

[Chorus]

Times have made a choice of what to keep and what to throw away

Everything ingrained comes to a point so sharp could cut a piece a day

And it bleeds on the ground, keep your knees on the ground where they belong

Keep your knees on the ground where they belong

[Verse 2]

Brown boy sitting on his knees with his eyes shut

Hands behind his head, fingers woven, pinkies up

Saying he ain't even doin' nothing what you want

They threw him on the ground when he called them all punks

Retro blue and white Jordans, tongues out

Over the black jeans cuffed just the right amount

To make them bunch by the calves how he like

Just ran out of boxer briefs so he wearing tighty-whities

With a white T-shirt and the breeze catch it just so

Pressing it tight against his chest so the red hole

Is getting wider and the blood is soaking in the fabric

And pooling on the ground, he looks down automatic

And the dark pavement gets darker when it's wet

He's losing balance slow with his hands on his head

So his face hits first and his eyes go dead

And the air is sucked out of the world with his last breath

[Chorus]

Times have made a choice of what to keep and what to throw away

Everything ingrained comes to a point so sharp could cut a piece a day

And it bleeds on the ground, keep your knees on the ground where they belong

Keep your knees on the ground where they belong

[Verse 3]

One side is sneakers and wedge heels

One side is boots with a steel toe

One wants to shout the way they feel

One told, "Feel nothing and move slow"

A line in riot gear waving glass

Full head to toe body armor

A line of paper signs waving flags

Crying for dead sons and daughters

The training said, "Here's the enemy

Prepare yourself for the war

When they get violent, you'd better be

Ready to defend the corps"

In come the tanks and the AK's

Protestors running for life

8-year-old girl crying loud at the window

Not a single cloud within sight

[Chorus]

Times have made a choice of what to keep and what to throw away

Everything ingrained comes to a point so sharp could cut a piece a day

And it bleeds on the ground, keep your knees on the ground where they belong

Keep your knees on the ground where they belong

[Post-Chorus]

Go ahead and make your peace, baby, go on and get your piece

They swore to keep the peace and it is shattered into pieces

And it bleeds on the ground, keep your knees on the ground where they belong

Keep your knees on the ground where they belong