Blood Brothers
Ken Boothe Lyrics

Growing up on the streets of Birmingham
The singer grew up in Birmingham, where life was tough and impoverished.

Where your home was pouring and your life was damned
The singer's home was dilapidated and he felt hopeless and trapped in his circumstances.

I was a hungry black boy living with the world on my back
As a young black boy, the singer felt burdened by the challenges of his life.

Billie was a white man's son living in a one room shack
The singer's friend, Billie, was a white boy who lived in a small, rundown house.

And split those days in the Alabama heat
The two friends spent their days together in the sweltering heat of Alabama.

We shared what we had but we never have enough to eat
Despite their poverty, the friends shared what little food they had, but it was never enough.

Mamma said it didn't look right, black just don't mix with white
Despite their close friendship, the singer's mother disapproved of his association with a white person.

But Billy was my friend and we swore one rainy night
Despite the disapproval of others, the friends were committed to their friendship and vowed to stand by each other.

To be blood brother
The friends considered themselves brothers, not by blood, but by the bond they shared.

Lord, I loved him like no other
The singer held his friend in high regard, loving him more than anyone else in his life.

Turned eighteen and we had no place to go
As they approached adulthood, the friends had no prospects or plans for their future.

'Cause how long can you watch carnival
The friends were tired of their mundane existence and were ready for something new and exciting.

Billy said he got the money, put us on the first Greyhound bus
The singer's friend, Billy, claimed to have the funds to take them away from their hometown, and they left on a bus bound for New York City.

New York City lights gonna be greetin' us
The friends were optimistic and excited to start a new life in the big city.

Oh, the uptown life can cost you poverty
Despite their initial excitement, the friends discovered that city life was expensive and difficult, and they struggled to make ends meet.

We're too amused but we suffered in dignity
The friends were struggling, but they tried to maintain their pride and dignity, even though they found themselves in difficult circumstances.

Billy couldn't take nine to five, his soul can't stay alive
The singer's friend, Billy, was not cut out for a regular job or the monotony of typical work, and it made him feel unfulfilled and restless.

He said to me one day, we ain't gonna beat the crime
Billy confided in the singer that he believed their only option for success was through illegal activities.

So I watched him change as the days went by
As time passed, the singer noticed his friend changing, and he began to worry and fear for his friend's safety.

And the money rolled in, we were livin' high
Despite the risks, the friends found success in their criminal activities and began to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

He didn't have to tell me he was breakin' the law
The singer didn't need his friend to confess to him that he was engaging in criminal activities because he already knew.

I knew it was him, the men was lookin' for
The singer realized that his friend was in trouble with the law when he saw that people were looking for him.

And the story goes that he caught a knife
The singer heard that his friend had gotten into a violent altercation and was stabbed.

And he pushed his luck and it cost his life
The singer believed that his friend's risky lifestyle ultimately led to his untimely death.

I sat down and I cried on that rainy night
The singer was devastated when he heard about his friend's death and mourned his loss on a rainy night.

When I heard heard it on the news
The singer learned about his friend's death through the news media.

One [Incomprehensible] had died
The singer was heartbroken at the loss of his dear friend.

And he loved him like no other
The singer loved his friend unconditionally and more than anyone else in his life.