Prosser's Gabriel Tim Barry
D[G]oes anyone know the name Gab[C]riel Pro[G]sser?
[G]My conscience says he?s the one that his[D]tory mi[G]ssed.
[G]A blacksmith by trade up at Broo[C]kfield Plan[G]tation,
[G]A Henrico County slave born of ow[D]ner Th[G]omas.
[G]If you listen closely you?ll h[C]ear the words per[G]fect,
[G]The Caribbean uprising caught f[D]ire in this l[G]and.
Up and down the James R[G]iver, Pam[C]unky and Appo[G]mattox,
Tob[G]acco soil gone bad deferred a mov[D]ement for the bl[G]acks.
Ni[G]ne years before, down in Sa[C]nto Dom[G]ingo,
Sl[G]aves refused to submit and took the ri[D]ght of all m[G]en.
Vir[G]ginia whites got nervous and hi[C]red more mil[G]itias,
[G]As blacks inspired, plotted and pa[D]ssed on their pl[G]ans.
Mi[G]ster Prosser?s Gabriel was sm[C]art as he was st[G]rong,
[G]A head of keloid scars and a mind of kno[D]wing right and wr[G]ong.
Vo[G]ted general at twenty-four in the y[D]ear of eighteen-hun[G]dred,
Hau[G]nted by the hymns and wailing of his fe[D]llow sl[G]aves.
N[G]ow does anyone know the name Gab[C]riel Pro[G]sser?
[G]My conscience says he?s the one that his[D]tory mis[G]sed.
[G]A blacksmith by trade up at Broo[C]kfield Plan[G]tation,
[G]A Henrico County slave born of ow[D]ner Th[G]omas.
[G]It was on an August night just North of Ric[C]hmond, Vir[G]ginia,
Gab[G]riel?s men gathered as their ow[D]ners they sl[G]ept.
S[G]ome would burn the Capital to distract resi[C]dents and mas[G]ters,
Wh[G]ile others took the city and fr[D]eed the con[G]victs.
W[G]ell the whites they knew nothing, never s[C]een what could h[G]it ?em,
Not[G]hing like this could happen to their car[D]efree black m[G]en.
B[G]ut think about freedom, now th[C]ink about sla[G]very.
Bl[G]acks armed themselves with muskets and hom[D]emade bay[G]onets.
W[G]ith a white flag on the Capital, all bl[C]acks they would r[G]ise.
A[G]ll whites spared, would l[D]ose but an a[G]rm.
Yo[G]u?re a coward if you own men for pr[D]ofit and gr[G]eed,
Yo[G]u?re the coward of all and for all you m[D]ust bl[G]eed.
N[G]ow does anyone know the name Gab[C]riel Pro[G]sser?
[G]My conscience says he?s the one that his[D]tory mis[G]sed.
[G]A blacksmith by trade up at Broo[C]kfield Plan[G]tation,
[G]A Henrico County slave born of ow[D]ner Th[G]omas.
Pha[G]raoh and Tom ratted out Gab[C]riel Pro[G]sser,
Th[G]eir owner was Mosby, and nei[D]ghbor of h[G]im.
T[G]hey say the sky seemed seized with r[C]ain and ligh[G]tning,
[G]On the night of August thirtieth one could s[D]ee nor st[G]and.
T[G]he militias? let loose to hunt Gab[C]riel Pro[G]sser,
W[G]ho took to the swamps as they impr[D]isoned his m[G]en.
Fla[G]gged a boat whose captain was a Meth[C]odist pre[G]acher,
B[G]ut a traitor slave turned him [D]in in the e[G]nd.
Th[G]ey hung Gabriel down at Br[C]oad and 15th Str[G]eet,
L[G]ord he would not give a word [D]up on his m[G]en.
B[G]ut he took that noose and he t[C]ook it with ho[G]nor,
H[G]e?s buried beneath a lot of parked cars, n[D]ow, and pav[G]ement.
Th[G]ere?s no monument, there?s no st[C]one here to see h[G]im,
J[G]ust black asphalt planked by high-rise hos[D]pital cha[G]ins.
[G]If I had it my way we?d see memo[C]rials clim[G]bin',
[G]To a true and honest hero, Pros[D]ser?s Gab[G]riel.
N[G]ow does anyone know the name Gab[C]riel Pro[G]sser?
[G]My conscience says he?s the one that his[D]tory mis[G]sed.
[G]A blacksmith by trade up at Broo[C]kfield Plan[G]tation,
[G]A Henrico County slave born of ow[D]ner Tho[G]mas.
For the professionally filmed live version of this song, follow this link: http://vimeo.com/3770978
Important: The song above is NOT stored on the Chordie server. The original song is hosted at www.guitaretab.com. Chordie works as a search engine and provides on-the-fly formatting. Chordie does not index songs against artists'/composers' will. To remove this song please click here.
