Claudette
Ralf Gum Lyrics

When a white woman got on the bus
The song begins by describing an incident on a bus where a white woman boards. The color of the woman's skin will prove significant later in the song.

The driver stopped it and told Claudette to get up to get up
The bus driver stops the bus and tells Claudette Colvin, a Black woman, to give up her seat for the white woman who just boarded the bus.

Get up stand up get up stand up now
The driver is ordering Claudette to stand up from her seat.

You got to take your shit to the back
The bus driver tells Claudette to move to the back of the bus as was the custom for Black people at the time.

But she didn’t move at all
Claudette, however, refused to give up her seat and move to the back as ordered.

She wouldn’t behave at all
This line underscores the idea that Claudette's refusal to give up her seat was seen as a failure to adhere to social norms.

Never play with fire Spilled salt left shoulder toss The devil is a liar Look left look right before you cross And riding the bus if whitey’s around You get up so they can sit down oowee
These lines describe a kind of cautionary advice, a warning to Black people to be careful and always aware of their surroundings, particularly in the presence of white people. The phrase 'whitey’s around' suggests that Black people had to be careful not to offend white people or risk facing consequences.

Driving on a long trip Coffee can in tow Without it you learn quick There’ll be no other place to go Cause every stop every store Whitey only on the door oowee Don’t get that confused baby
These lines imply that even everyday travel for Black people posed challenges and danger due to segregationist policies that limited where they could go. 'Whitey only on the door' refers to businesses and rest stops that only catered to white customers.

And oh If I have to if I have to go Let me go out fighting so they know To never try Or even think twice And take this advice
The chorus offers an assertive message of resistance, urging Black people to fight back against oppression. Claudette's refusal to give up her seat is a powerful example of this kind of resistance.

Do not fuck with colored people They do not give up Do no fuck with colored people You will run out of luck Do not fuck with colored people They do not give up Do no fuck with colored people You will run out of luck Or they might fuck you up
This refrain echoes the theme of the chorus, warning those who would oppress Black people that they cannot be defeated easily.

Don’t play with a toy gun Ever in the street In a store you don’t run They might mistake you for a thief And if it’s dark and you see a cop And he tells you to stop you stop You listen to me
These lines offer further examples of the dangers Black people face from a society that unjustly stereotypes and criminalizes them, even if they are not doing anything wrong. The advice 'you listen to me' emphasizes the idea that caution is necessary to avoid risk of harm.

She got out of the car, put her in jail She dead’s before she can make bail Explain that to me
These lines refer to another incident involving Claudette Colvin where she was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat, and her family was forced to pay bail that they could not afford. The injustice of this situation is highlighted by the line 'Explain that to me.'

And oh if they take me if I got to go Then let me go down swinging so they know That no one’s forgot Can’t turn back the clock So you better not
The final lines of the song echo the assertiveness of the previous lines, emphasizing that the fight for justice and equality cannot be turned back and that Black people will continue to fight back against oppression.

Don’t ever Take your shit to the back Don’t ever Shake your shit to the back Don’t ever Take your shit to the back Don’t ever Shake your shit to the back
The song ends with a repetition of the earlier lines, emphasizing the message that Black people should never submit to oppression and segregation, even in small ways, such as by giving up their seats on a bus.