Gill and Galloway were working late  On a summers night in '58  In a small town Alabama hideaway  In the U.S.A.  The two cops were knocking on the door  Of a young black boy  It was a quarter to four  They said:  "Hey nigger! Hit the floor.  You're about to be history."    Pop Bickham was the young black man  He couldn't work it out, he didn't understand  But when they come with their guns you do what you can  So he picked up his rifle and he shot them down  They said he killed them in cold blood  And the jury they agreed  They said: "you'll be sorry for what you've done"  And the whole town they agreed    [Chorus:]  They picked you up and they sent you down  A poor black boy in a rich white town  And for 38 years you never made a sound  That was half a life away    You see one of the cops had something to hide  He'd raped Pop's sister more than once or twice  And Pop wasn't going to let it go this time  So the cops had to take him out  But the courtroom didn't hear all of the story  They held back facts from the all white jury  No doubt what the verdict would be  Take him down, he's guilty    [Chorus]    All these years in a prison cell  Never once complaining  Half your life gone to hell  All because of hatred and bigotry  You're a better man than me    [Chorus x2]