Virgil Caine Jr.

©2020 Garrett Clevenger

B riff Virgil Caine Jr. took the high road heading north.

B riff He was sure he left behind a dead end moving forth.

F#    A  E F# No matter what they say, the South won’t rise 

B riff again.

E If it’s stuck in Jim Crow, he won’t stick around.

B riff He’d seen one too many black men beat down.

F#    A  E F# He was different, too, he felt now and 

B riff then.

B riff His Aunt Matilda offered him a job.

B riff She ran a nightclub with her lover Bob.

F#    A  E F# The clientele were men. Virgil might like

B riff them.

E He’d serve them drinks, “Thanks!”, smiles and winks.

B riff She’d have someone she could trust how he thinks.

F#    A  E F# Virgil was a man his dad would con-

B riff demn.

E    A    B The night they drove old Virgil down.

E    A    B He told junior, “Make me proud.

F#  E  F#  E B “Marry Stonewall’s daughter. Give me a grandson named 

F#  E  B  E  F# “Lee after your brother. Make the South rise again, young Virgil

B riff Caine.”

B riff 1880 was a time a man must be a man. There 

B riff was no electricity. Your potty was a bedpan.

F#    A  E F# Women couldn’t vote. Forget the World Wide

B riff Web. Yet, 

E Virgil took a shot. He left all he knew to 

B riff find support from family who was new.

F#    A  E F# Every hand that’s lent can change the world a-

B riff head. Like a 

B riff fish out of water who finds he can breath air,

B riff Virgil thrived like no other finding what’s fair.

F#    A  E F# You could say he was the happiest man a-

B riff round. Then, 

E bustin’ through the doors bigots with baseball bats

B riff swinging haphazardly, squealing like rats. They 

F#    A  E F# cracked the skull of Virgil’s beau who fell dead to the 

B riff ground.

E    A    B The night they drove young Virgil down to the 

E    A    B depth of despair. A sad sound.

F#  E  F#  E B History would be today for women, non-whites or if your gay.

F#  E  B  E  F# Tragedy can kill you, but he will rise again, young Virgil

B riff Caine.

B riff Today, class, we learn about Virgil Caine, Jr. We 

B riff wouldn’t be here today if not for the future

F#    A  E F# he looked towards despite his lack of

B riff means.

E Equal rights were granted in 1905 when 

B riff President Caine led the drive. By 

F#    A  E F# 1915 he brought world

B riff peace.

E    A    B The night he drove Old Dixie down

E    A    B we all feel free to be ourselves. We 

F#  E  F#  E B don’t all sing together, but it pulses like a vein.

F#  E  B  E  F# People help each other. Now we will rise and gain, thanks to Virgil

B riff Caine.

F# We will rise and gain, thanks to Virgil

B riff Caine.

F# We will rise again, just like Virgil

B riff Caine.

Jam

F# We will rise and gain, thanks to Virgil

B riff Caine.