Here I am, after so many years 

Hounded by hatred and trapped by fear 

I'm in a box, I've got no place to go 

If I follow my mind, I know I'll slaughter my own. 



Help me I'm the prisoner, won't you hear my plea 

I need somebody, yeah, to listen to me 

I beg you, brothers and sisters, I'm counting on you (yeah). 



Black babies in the womb are shackled and bound 

Chained by the caveman who keeps beauty down 

Smacked on the ass when they're squalling and wet 

Heir to a spineless man who never forgets 



Never forgets that he's a prisoner, can't you hear my plea 

Cause I need somebody, Lord knows, to listen to me 

I'm a stranger to my son who wonders why his daddy runs. 



On my way to work in the morning when I don't give a damn 

Can't nobody [x4] see just who in hell I am 

Hemmed in by a suit, yes all choked up in a tie 

Ain't no wonder some times near morning I hear my woman cry 

She knows her man is a prisoner, won't you hear my plea 

Yeah, cause I need somebody, wooo, to listen to me 

My woman she don't say but she hates to see her man chained this way 

Yeah, help me, I'm the prisoner 

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm the prisoner