Nina Simone – Mississippi Goddam chords

[Spoken Introduction]
G6The name of this tune is Mississippi Goddam

And I mean every word of it


[Verse 1] x2
G6Alabama's gotten me so upset
                  Am7     D7Tennessee made me lose my rest
   Am/C Bdim7 Am/C   D    C/E  D/F#   G  G    Am7 D7And everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam

G11Can't you see it
GCan't you feel it
     Cmaj7It's all in the air
A7                                     D7I can't stand the pressure much longer

Somebody say a prayer


[Chorus]
G6Alabama's gotten me so upset
                  Am7     D7Tennessee made me lose my rest
    Am/C Bdim7 Am/C  D    C/E  D/F#   G      F#m7sus4 B7And everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam

Em(This is a show tune, but the show hasn't been written for it, yet)


[Verse 2]
EmHound dogs on my trail
                                F#m7b5
School children sitting in jail
          B7Black cat cross my path
  Em7                     B7    EmI think every day's gonna be my last

EmLord have mercy on this land of mine

We all gonna get it in due time
  F#m7b5
I don't belong here
  B7I don't belong there
     Em7              B7       EmI've even stopped believing in prayer

EmDon't tell me, I'll tell you
                                F#m7b5
Me and my people just about due
                B7I've been there so I know
     Em7           B7   EmThey keep on saying "Go slow!"


[Refrain]
EmBut that's just the trouble

"too slow"
EmWashing the windows

"too slow"
Am7Picking the cotton

"too slow"
       EmYou're just plain rotten

"too slow"
      F#/C#You're too damn lazy

"too slow"
    Am/C          B7The thinking's crazy

"too slow"
C/E        F9Where am I going
Em7       A7What am I doing
Eb7     Eb7I don't know
D11     D7I don't know

G6Just try to do your very best
                          Am7      D7Stand up, be counted with all the rest
      Am/C Bdim7 Am/C  D     C/E  D/F#  G  G    F#m7sus4 B7Cause everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam

Em(I bet you thought I was kidding, didn't you)


[Verse 3]
EmPicket lines, school boycotts

They try to say it's a communist plot
F#m7b5          B7All I want is equality
       Em7               B7           Em7For my sister, my brother, my people, and me

EmYes, you lied to me all these years

You told me to wash and clean my ears
    F#m7b5         B7And talk real fine just like a lady
Em7                   B7         Em7And you'd stop calling me Sister Sadie

EmOh but this whole country is full of lies

You're all gonna die and die like flies
F#m7b5            B7I don't trust you any more
    Em7           B7   Em7You keep on saying "Go slow!"

"Go slow!"


[Refrain]
EmBut that's just the trouble

"too slow"

Desegregation

"too slow"
  Am7Mass participation

"too slow"
  Em7Reunification

"too slow"
F#/C#Do things gradually

"too slow"
    Am/C           B7But bring more tragedy

"too slow"
C/E           F9#11Why don't you see it
Em7       A7Why don't you feel it
Eb7     Eb7I don't know
D11     D7I don't know


[Chorus]
G6You don't have to live next to me
                Am7   B7Just give me my equality
      Am/C Bdim7 A/C   D    C/E  D/F#Cause everybody knows about Mississippi
Am/C Bdim7 A/C   D    C/E  D/F#Everybody knows about Alabama
Am/C Bdim7 A/C   D    C/E  D/F#   G G F9 F9 G F9 G F9 GEverybody knows about Mississippi Goddam


[Spoken Outro]
That's it!