I was reading a book just the other day
bout all the problems in the world
and all the hurting and killing that was
done by the pople of the land

And I thought about my life
just a simple sad affair
with the anger in my mind
and the empty in my heart

There was no doubt in my mind
I was headin for a fall
off the edge of the world
but I caught on a point of light of reason

Why should I blame myself and kill myself
for nothing I have done
make my happiness become
just a smile to somo0ne on the street

Cause everything is beuatiful
though everything is dying
simply withering away
to a few dryed up petals on the concrete floor

But that don't mean that we can't change our
lives into a state
in which we have the power
to change the world into a place that we can live

We could be free from violence
and lonliness and hunger
unfufillment and disease
that the magic word is still "pretty please"

chors  You see my momma done told me
        We should love everybody as we love ourselves
        and we should love ourselves as we love everybody
        My momma done told me
        We should respect her with the dignity
        that she deserves
        and we should dance in the garden
        and eat the fruit off the vine
 

So I picked up the bible
and I looked up under Jesus
when He's talking about the golden rule
and he's saying everybody is perfect
in the eyes of the lord
but you got to free your minds
and free your hearts of your hatred of the world
and the hatred of yourselves
and rejoice in the beauty of the place
in which you live
 

Even though you've got all the time
in the universe
to findthe depths of you soul
you'd better start right now
cause its a long, long way down
 

chorus  You see my momma done told me
        We should love everybody as we love ourselves
        and we should love ourselves as we love everybody
        My momma done told me
        We should respect her with the dignity she deserves
        and we should dance in the garden
        and eat the fruit of the vine