Lyrics Gil Scott–Heron – Shah Mot (The Shah Is Dead / Checkmate)
Text:
My name is what’s your name
I am the voice of sane
Remembering things that I told me yesterday
My name is what’s your name
We saw the devils,
Had to make them go away
My name is what’s your name
You may reject my claim
But I expect that you won’t vary from it long
My name is what’s your name
Ours is a single aim
And we can double recognize in need of form (?)
Take it to the street
Tell everybody you meet
You do whatever, you do whatever you feel the wardrum beat
Put it in the air,
Spit it everywhere
You do whatever you do whatever, you know you got to be there
Shah mot!
You only take it as a symbol
Look closely, who does it resemble?
My name is what’s your name
If you recall the change
Then you can dig that we’ve been put into a trance
My name is what to do
I am inside of you
I’ve been here ever since the day you learned to stand
My name is what’s your name
Born on the wings of strain
My name is what to do
But we already knew
And now the clouds are wearing how come to view (?)
Shah mot!
Take it to the street
Tell everybody you meet
You do whatever, you do whatever you feel the wardrum beat
Shah mot!
Put it in the air,
Spit it everywhere
You do whatever you do whatever, you know you got to be there
Shah mot!
You only take it as a symbol
(Shah mot!)
Look closely, who does it resemble?
My name is what’s your name
I am the voice of sane
Remembering things that I told me yesterday
My name is what’s your name
I am inside your frame
We saw the devils,
Had to make them go away
Shah mot!
Take it to the street
Tell everybody you meet
You do whatever, you do whatever you feel the wardrum beat
Shah mot!
Put it in the air,
Spit it everywhere
You do whatever you do whatever, you know you got to be there
Shah mot!
You only take it as a symbol
Look closely, who does it resemble?
repeat
