See that black boy over there, runnin' scared
His ol' man's in a bottle
He done quit his 9 to 5 to drink full time
So now he's livin' in the bottle
See that Black boy over there, runnin' scared
His ol' man got a problem
Pawned off damn near everything, his ol'
Woman's weddin' ring for a bottle
And don't you think it's a crime
When time after time, people in the bottle

See that sista, sho wuz fine before she
Started drinkin' wine
From the bottle
Said her ol' man committed a crime
And he's doin' time
So now she's in the bottle
She's out there on the avenue, all by herself
Sho' needs help from the bottle
Preacherman tried to help her out
She cussed him out and hit him in the head with a bottle
And don't you think it's a crime
When time after time, people in the bottle

See that gent in the wrinkled suit
He done damn near blown his cool
To the bottle
He wuz a doctor helpin' young girls along
If they wuzn't too far gone to have problems
But defenders of the dollar eagle
Said "What you doin', Doc, it ain't legal,"
And now he's in the bottle
Now we watch him everyday tryin' to
Chase the pigeons away
From the bottle
And don't you think it's a crime
When time after time, people in the bottle

Copyright: Peermusic Publishing
Writer(s): GIL SCOTT HERON