Talking Birmingham Jam Lyrics - Phil Ochs

Walkin' down to Birmingham 

Way down south in Dixie Land 

Oh, I thought that I would stop awhile 

Take a vacation southern style 

Got some southern hospitality 

Down there in a southern hospital 

Oh, all the signs said welcome in 

Signed by Governor Wallace and Rin-Tin-Tin 

They said come along and watch the fights 

While we feed our dogs on civil rights 

Now, don't get us wrong 

Some of our best Negroes are friends 

Well I've seen travelin' many ways 

I've traveled in cars and old subways 

But in Birmingham some people chose 

To fly down the street from a fire hose 

Doin' some hard travelin' 

From hydrants of plenty 

Well, a pack of dogs was standin' by 

I walked up to them and I said, "Hi" 

I asked one dog what they all were doin' 

He walked up to me and started chewin' 

I said, "Hold it, I'm from the A.S.P.C.A. 

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Agitators" 

And I said, "There must be some men around 

There can't be only you dogs in town" 

They said, sure, we have old Bull Conner 

There he goes walkin' yonder 

Throwin' some raw meat to the Mayor 

Feedin' bones to the city council 

You know Governor Wallace doesn't mean no harm 

Can't you see he's got a lot of charm? 

He protectin' us whites, both the rich and poor 

Standin' in the schoolhouse door 

Crackin' jokes, talkin' to Huntley Brinkley 

Servin' jury duty, gettin' re-elected 

So, I asked them why they spent their time 

With segregation on their mind 

They said, "If you don't like to live this way 

Get out of here, go back to the U.S.A 

Live with all them Russians and New York folksingers" 

Some say they're past their darkest hour 

Those moderates are back in power 

Oh, they listen close with open ears 

They'll help us out in a couple of hundred years 

But don't push 'em whatever you do 

Or else you'll get those extremists back in 

You see, Alabama is a sovereign state 

With sovereign dogs and sovereign hate 

They stand for the Bible and Constitution 

They stand against communist revolution 

They say "It's Pinkoes like you that freed the slaves" 

And they're right