Black Day In July
Gordon Lightfoot
Capo 2nd Fret

[Intro]      Em

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____Black day in July Motor city madness has touched the countryside ___and through the smoke and
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Cinders, you can hear it far and wide the doors are quickly bolted and the children locked inside ___
D            Em
Black day in July, ___


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 _____Black day in July, and the soul of Motor City is bared across the land as the book of law and
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Order is taken in the hands of the sons of the fathers who were carried to this land, Black day in July


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____Black day in July, in the streets of Motor City there's a deadly silent sound, and the body of a
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Dead youth lies stretched upon the ground, upon the filthy pavement, no reason can be found,
D            Em
Black day in July


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_____Black day in July Motor City madness has touched the countryside, and the people rise in anger
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And the streets begin to fill, and there's gunfire from the rooftops and the blood begins to spill
D               Em
Black day in July

[Chorus]
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In the mansion of the governor, there's nothing that is known for sure the telephone is ringing,
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And the pendulum is swinging and they wonder how it happened When they really know the
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Reason and it wasn't just the temperature And it wasn't just the season, Black day in July


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   _____Black day in July Motor City's burning and the flames are running wild, They reflect upon the
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waters of the river and the lake, And everyone is listening and everyone's awake, Black day in July

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_____Black day in July, The printing press is turning and the news is quickly flashed, And you read
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your morning paper and you sip your cup of tea , And you wonder just in passing, is it him or is it me
D            Em
Black day in July


[Chorus]
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In the office of the President, The deed is done the troops are sent, There's really not much choice you
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see It looks to us like anarchy And then the tanks go rolling in To patch things up as best they can
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There is no time to hesitate The speech is made the dues can wait Black day in July


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_____Black day in July, The streets of Motor City now are quiet and serene, But the shapes of gutted
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Buildings strike terror to the heart, And you say how did it happen and you say how did it start
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Why can't we all be brothers, why can't we live in peace, But the hands of the have-nots keep
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falling out of reach, Black day in July


Em                D   Em          D          G                  Em x2        C
____Black day in July Motor city madness has touched the countryside ___and through the smoke and
Em               C               Em        C                Em             C                 Em x2
Cinders, you can hear it far and wide the doors are quickly bolted and the children locked inside ___
D            Em        D             Em   D              Em x2
Black day in July, ___ black day in July, black day in July ____