Mama never had a flower garden

'Cause cotton grew right up to our front door

Daddy never went on a vacation

He died a tired old man at fourty four



Our neighbors in the big house called us redneck

'Cause we lived in a poor share-croppers shack

The Jacksons down the road were poor like we were

But our skin was white and theirs was black



But I believe the south is gonna rise again

But not the way we thought it would back then

I mean everybody hand in hand

I believe the south is gonna rise again



I see wooded parks and big skyscrapers

Where dirty rundown shacks stood once before

I see sons and daughters of share-croppers

But they're not picking cotton anymore



But more important I see human kindness

As we forget the bad and keep the good

A brand new breeze is blowing 'cross the southland

And I see a brand new kind of brotherhood



Yes I believe the south is gonna rise again

Oh, but not the way we thought it would back then

I mean everybody hand in hand

I believe the south is gonna rise again

I believe the south is gonna rise again

I believe the south is gonna rise again