Nina Simone - The Backlash Blues Lyrics






Mr. Backlash, Mr. Backlash
Just who do think I am
You raise my taxes, freeze my wages
And send my son to Vietnam

You give me second class houses
And second class schools
Do you think that alla colored folks
Are just second class fools
Mr. Backlash, I'm gonna leave you
With the backlash blues

When I try to find a job
To earn a little cash
All you got to offer
Is your mean old white backlash
But the world is big
Big and bright and round
And it's full of folks like me
Who are black, yellow, beige and brown
Mr. Backlash, I'm gonna leave you
With the backlash blues

Mr. Backlash, Mr. Backlash
Just what do you think I got to lose
I'm gonna leave you
With the backlash blues
You're the one will have the blues
Not me, just wait and see





Other Lyrics by Artist

Rand Lyrics

Last Posts

Nina Simone The Backlash Blues Comments
  1. J.... F....

    Anyone in 2020 who can’t stop listening to this gem?

  2. J.... A....

    Nina sings straight from the soul. It's a thrill to watch her.

  3. G.... F....

    And you already got emmmmmmm.........

  4. C.... B....

    So so so so good! Thank you, Nina.. for your soul!

  5. m.... h....

    Imagine the state forcing your sons into an unnecessary war

  6. B.... F....

    Her style her voice will never be replaced full breed of uniqueness.Love you nina

  7. M.... C....

    I love this song♡

  8. t.... ....

    Who is the drummer ?

  9. i.... ....

    Lady Nina ❤️

  10. L.... A....

    Black Americans. Religion is Music

  11. J.... H....

    This is music!! Love it! ❤️

  12. J.... K....

    Give the drummer SOME !

  13. B.... t....

    If I go 2nd was there only two of us . B duh best regardless

  14. j.... w....

    omg, the drummer! so smooth. in the pocket

  15. P.... L....

    Simply, just a beautiful person.

  16. A.... G....

    Can anyone tell me whether she's improvising over the chords? Cause this is so different from the original one. This is AMAZING!

    A.... G....

    I'm pretty sure it's a combination of a re-arrangement with pure live improvisation

  17. G.... A....

    The Magic of Nina!!

  18. M.... L....

    "And ya already gottem" "Give the drummer some" Oh yeah!

  19. E.... ....

    2019 💕🔥

  20. M.... G....

    Nina foi simplesmente a maior grandeza da perfeição musical, extraordinária.

  21. H.... K....

    I love the blues but this is not one of the 100 best

  22. M.... C....

    Sr. Retrocesso (governo Bolsonaro)
    Esse deveria ser o hino brasileiro nos próximos 4 anos 😢😭

  23. P.... ....

    Espectacular! 😀

  24. R.... R....

    This song remind me Kelly and Nelly's song...what ??

  25. m.... b....

    MAGIQUE

  26. J.... R....

    Awesome can't beat black blues a gift for all

  27. D.... U....

    True time

  28. J.... B....

    Damn I love this woman

  29. O.... T....

    Such emotion in this performance, its beyond beautiful

  30. M.... ....

    შენ შემოგევლე HUGE HUG'S FROM GEORGIA ! R.I.P LEGEND

  31. o.... ....

    A song for the ages it seems, and performed so beautifully.

  32. F.... d....

    Struggle for peace !

  33. K.... M....

    Bel Musique Bancklash Blues j'ai trop

  34. A.... L....

    And they didn't have anywhere to hide, they didn't even had hats.... :P

  35. R.... ....

    Amazing good !

  36. y.... f....

    magnifique infiniment Top joliment Merci respect totale Sublime sony voix rythme totalement Sublime

  37. i.... L....

    what a voic3 ... ohhhhhhhhhhhh

  38. A.... R....

    Genius!

  39. D.... T....

    OMGGGGGGGGGGGG <3

  40. w.... a....

    canta muito sou fã Nina Simone !!!😃😃😃

  41. s.... j....

    Sad..but is the f*** real in Usa..Nina <3

  42. L.... ....

    Blues is the no too good*

  43. D.... s....

    magnífico.. ❤

  44. M.... S....

    too good💙

  45. v.... F....

    aqui em brazilian ,falta de delicadez MUSICAL

    v.... F....

    vanderlei Ferreira de Miranda heresia indo Brasil we lack musical delicasy! mais ou menos isso!

    v.... F....

    vanderlei Ferreira de Miranda Brasiliam =Brasil i am

    v.... F....

    A letra eh linda..infelizmente o que se passa e sempre passou em Usa..ela diz as verdades..

  46. v.... F....

    DELICADEz music top semtimental love

  47. v.... F....

    AMOR ETERNO

  48. D.... U....

    вот он рэк как он есть..не то что нынешние утырки

  49. Z.... F....

    Best version, definitely!

  50. P.... ....

    New on The Cold Feet 2016 CD Amazing best version got guts then Terence Trent D'arby with Heartbreak Hotel

  51. �.... �....

    Perfact

  52. C.... G....

    encore Backlash,

  53. J.... E....

    Amazing.....saw a documentary of her.....true blues! 😊👌

  54. r.... d....

    2 like ? Top Music ...

  55. r.... d....

    monster music !!  2016   8^)

  56. M.... D....

    toujours très actuelle et grande pianisre

  57. C.... D....

    Nina at her very best on stage... absolutly unforgettable the Lady is ;-) !

  58. P.... ....

    I love it

  59. S.... ....

    Singing the same ole blues/news of the day...

  60. B.... S....

    Did she do a studio recording of this? If so, which album is it on?

    B.... S....

    @Angela DunnjenkinsBey​ thanks

    B.... S....

    @Brian Smith You can also buy the DVD "Nina Simone Live At Montremx 1976" from Amazon I have really enjoyed it.

    B.... S....

    +Brian Smith Nuff Said

    B.... S....

    +Salome Njeri thanks

    B.... S....

    @Brian Smith No problem :)

  61. T.... C....

    One of my fav by ms simone. Play this everyday. Even in 2015 this song rings true

  62. A.... G....

    Perfect!

  63. K.... c....

    jon legend in his own mind needs this...

  64. E.... T....

    Still timely!

  65. C.... W....

    12 down votes? 12 people aren't hearing.

    C.... W....

    @Chuck Watson maybe they don't have the ears to hear or the soul to hear probably more exactly!

    C.... W....

    NOW SÃO 15 down vote ?15 people are not listening. Monster music !!!

  66. J.... S....

    Mr backlash... who do you think you are.. igot sometin' on you.. I know how to leave you with the blues...

  67. C.... S....

    a GREAT & BEAUTIFUL Black Woman!!!

  68. G.... S....

    "Mr. Backlash, Mr. Backlash
    Just who do think I am
    You raise my taxes, freeze my wages
    And send my son to Vietnam."

    2014 and this song is so cool and historically accurate! ( ^ _ ^ )

    G.... S....

    Relevant today...shame on us!

  69. T.... H....

    You sure this is 1976? Langston died in 1967.

    T.... H....

    The Backlash Blues, Langston Hughes
    THE BACKLASH BLUES 
    by Langston Hughes 

    Mister Backlash, Mister Backlash, 
    Just who do you think I am? 
    You raise my taxes, freeze my wages, 
    Send my son to Vietnam. 

    You give me second class houses, 
    Second class schools. 
    Do you think that colored folks 
    Are just second class fools? 

    When I try to find a job 
    To earn a little cash, 
    All you got to offer 
    Is a white backlash. 

    But the world is big, 
    Big and bright and round-- 
    And it's full of folks like me who are 
    Black, Yellow, Beige, and Brown. 

    Mister Backlash, Mister Backlash, 
    What do you think I got to lose? 
    I'm gonna leave you, Mister Backlash, 
    Singing your mean old backlash blues. 

    You're the one 
    Will have the blues. 
    not me-- 
    Wait and see! 

    This was one of the last of Langston Hughes' protest poems before his death in 1967. The backlash is the white racist reaction to the US civil rights movement which began around 1964 with increased racist attacks on blacks in the US, the war in Vietnam and the subsequent diminishing of prospects for fairier society for the American poor. 

    T.... H....

    +Tom Heald The song was first recorded (I think...I need to do more research) in 1968 after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It is on the album 'Nuff Said, that was recorded during her performance in England 3 days after the news of Dr. MLK's death. It was a poem written by Langston Hughes and turned into song form through collaboration between both of them.

  70. Y.... B....

    sing it Nina!

  71. F.... ....

    awesome! thnx!

  72. D.... O....

    Canta demais!

  73. K.... M....

    Gifted...

  74. R.... S....



    When a true genius appears, you can know him by this sign: that all the dunces are in a confederacy against him.

    Jonathan Swift

  75. W.... S....

    "a lágrima clara sobre a pele escura....."

  76. m.... s....

    Muuuuito!!

  77. m.... s....

    i felt like i was inside there!!

  78. C.... M....

    Arrepia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  79. D.... O....

    Que voz! Muito bom! Very Good!

  80. i.... ....

    Didn't Mick say in an interview in the early 70's that they only had about 5 more years? Maybe that's what she's reffering to?

  81. J.... T....

    Happy Birthday Nina Simone !!! Rest in Peace

  82. L.... F....

    perfect!!!!!

  83. Y.... E....

    Nina Simone had more talent in just one single breath, than any of the current crop of over hyped American Idol types could ever have in their entire careers! Nina was so talented it's just stupid.

  84. G.... P....

    Actually she said "I think the Rolling Stones say we got five years". But I think she was a bit confused. Actually David Bowie said that, in the song Five Years (opening song from the Ziggy Stardust album).

  85. G.... H....

    "I think the Rolling Stones have about five years..." - she was a fantastic musician but not a prophet apparently :)

  86. K.... D....

    Love her...that's it...a great artist!!!!

  87. R.... L....

    Many thought Thelonius Monk was eccentric but many have voted him the greatest jazz pianist of all time! The guy was a genius.

  88. S.... G....

    yw. I was curious myself. ;-) Just love this song.

  89. t.... ....

    YAAAAY! Youre the best Serge, thank you so much. I could "feel" that meaning, but was still somewhat puzzled. Mucho gusto!

  90. S.... G....

    last stanza of L. Hughes' lyrics:

    Mr. Backlash
    I'm gonna leave you
    With the backlash blues
    the context is this
    :
    Mr. Backlash, Mr. Backlash
    Just what do you think I got to lose
    I'm gonna leave you
    With the backlash blues
    You're the one will have the blues
    Not me, just wait and see.

    What she says is: I ll leave the pain to you (0 the us government)

  91. t.... ....

    i dont completely understand the lyric
    "leave you with the blues" ?

  92. q.... !....

    I didn't know

  93. D.... W....

    Viola Davis, and Viola Davis alone.
    Zoe Saldana?
    Screw that!!!!

  94. o.... ....

    'Cause you ain't got much tiiiime, none of us do. I think the roling stones said we have 500 years?

  95. B.... K....

    How could one dislike this video?

  96. A.... R....

    goood goood god life nina simone good

  97. Z.... H....

    Possessed by her own genius