I get a call from vance he's an old friend

He's got some you-won't-believe-story to share

He's the place that I go when I need someone who knows me

He brings the smile of a billionaire



And I laugh when he pretends he's a white guy

'cause he knows how bad I fail playing black

He says"if even you couldI don't advise that you should

'cause once you go there you might not want to turn back"



(chorus)

There isn't a thing

In this god-all-mighty world that I wouldn't do

To help him outta trouble

Seein' as how we're friends and

That goes deeper than skin can go

To a translucent soul

Deeper than color will show

Translucent soul



He says"nowyou and iI know we look a little different

ButI was raised middle classsame as you.

Butlet's make it clear even on the way here

I had to watch for blue lights in the rear view "

He says"last weekI was visiting l.a.

Walking the streets where the riots went down.

You got black killing black killing black killing black

While all the whites were sweating bullets across town"



(chorus)



He says"in l.a.they're whispering race war

Like it's something that has yet to begin

Like they can plug up the cracks

In four hundred years of history

And prove that the melting pot's not broken"

He says"in the event of some unlikely disaster

We find ourselves armedand face to face "

I said"i'd turn aroundI would protect your ground"

He said"i'd do the same thing for you at your place"



(chorus)



There isn't a thing

In this god-all-mighty world that he wouldn't do

To help me outta trouble . . .



Embrace what you have in common

Celebrate what sets you apart

It takes more than the color

That you find on a palate

To turn humanity into an art

Into the form of an art

Translucent soul

Translucent soul

Soul