When my father put his shame on me
Said he wouldn't put his name on me
Said he wouldn't be the first in his family
Whose son cried when he was born
Well he died the day I got a gun
Said that he was proud that I was his son
That was right there in his plan
I'd grow up and be a man
And there was a tear, I saw it in his eye
He said he couldn't think of a better way to die
And the lord came down
and put a spoon in my mouth
It tasted so bitter, but I couldn't spit it out
It tasted like the money that my poor mama made
Well, I went and stole it
'Cause she took it to the grave
And there was a note, clenched in her right hand said 'boy if you want to live, better die like a brave man'
Well, I don't want to die in the middle of the night
I want a brave man's death
I don't want to die in the middle of the night
I want a brave man's death
Spitting gasoline, burning my teeth, getting salt on the fields of my past
And the sun'll come down with a milky white flash
I'll get my brave man's death at last
I had a woman
She had some kids
She said she loved them
I never did
Just the way that they feed
And take away what was young
Mo' ass and muscle can do what needed to be done
And the day that she died, her cup was fully drained
She said take over my love, that life was worth the pain
Well, I don't want to die in the middle of the night
I want a brave man's death
I don't want to die in the middle of the night
I want a brave man's death
Spitting gasoline, burning my teeth, getting salt on the fields of my past
And the sun'll come down with a milky white flash
I'll get my brave man's death at last
Had a heart that's wailing
But I'm back without a bone
and a body'd go to work, but my head would come home
And I always had a knife in case a real man came along
He'd turn his head and his life was gone
So I hold it in my heart, yes I hold it in my heart, no I hide it in my heart
'Cause it's tearing me apart
Last thing that he said to me was blood was on my hands
God, I want to die like a man
I don't want to die (I don't want to die)
I want a brave man's death
Praying' the lord
A soul to keep, keep it in his right hand
And when they'd left, and send me death
The death of a brave man
