Lord, why was I born in Mississippi When it's so hard to get ahead? Why was I born in Mississippi When it's so hard to get ahead? Every black child born in Mississippi You know the poor child was born dead When he came into the world The doctor spank him, the black baby cry When he came into the world The doctor spank him, the black baby cry Everybody thought he had a life And that's when the black baby died He will never speak his language The poor baby will never speak his mind Lord, he will never speak his language The poor baby will never speak his mind The poor child will never know his mind Why in the world he's so poor? Lord, why was I born in Mississippi When it's so hard to get ahead? Lord, why was I born in Mississippi When it's so hard to get ahead? Every black child born in Mississippi You know the poor child was born dead