Shake the Sky

Paula Cole

Sister gonna wake up
And shake the sky with her cry
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
Sister gonna get up and wipe the tears from her eyes
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
Sister gonna stand up to all the bullying lies
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
Sister gonna look at the man with the blood in his eyes
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
She gonna rise

Changes! 
Changes that need to pass
A lot more human kindness in this life 
Changes!
Changes that we demand
For the content of our character, the vision of our minds
The labor of the grist-mill of society
Is the hands and sweat and backs of who have least
Invisibles and overlooked and disenfranchised
Are holding up the sky
Holding up our lives!

1 2 3 4 

Sister gonna wake up
And shake the sky with her cry
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
Sister gonna get up and wipe the tears from her eyes
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
Sister gonna stand up to all the bullying lies
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
Sister gonna look at the man with the blood in his eyes
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
She gonna rise

Changes! 
Changes that need to pass
A lot more human kindness in this life 
Changes!
Changes that we demand
For the content of our character, the vision of our minds
The labor of the grist-mill of society
Is the hands and sweat and backs of who have least
Invisibles and overlooked and disenfranchised
Are holding up the sky
Holding up our lives!

1 2 3 4 

Sister gonna wake up
And shake the sky with her cry
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
Sister gonna get up and wipe the tears from her eyes
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
Sister gonna stand up to all the bullying lies
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
Sister gonna look at the man with the blood in his eyes
She gonna rise
She gonna rise
She gonna rise