2 am, bars were closing
Heard the news on channel 4 and
The TV anchor tried to say
What she thought really happened today

But, words are dangerous like the gun
Takes away a mother’s son
A lot of people have had enough
Just waiting for this time to come

Ohhh, gonna be a riot
Ohhh, gonna be a riot in the streets tonight
Gonna be a riot in the streets tonight
Gonna be a riot in the streets tonight
Gonna be a riot tonight

Right or wrong, battle lines are drawn
Like the difference tween dusk and dawn
Black and white in the light of day
But at night there’s only shades-of-grey

Preacher speakin’, fist raised singin’
Barely missin’, tear gas whistlin’
Walking down West Florissant Road
It feels like this city is gonna explode
Ohhh, gonna be a riot
Ohhh, gonna be a riot in the streets tonight
Gonna be a riot in the streets tonight
Gonna be a riot in the streets tonight
Gonna be a riot tonight


Painted signs, a megaphone message
You can feel it St. Louis to Los Angeles
These words written on a door:
It ain’t just about the rich and poor

Our past won’t go away
It haunts us to present day
There’s so much left to learn
As the bullets fly and the buildings burn

Ohhh, gonna be a riot
Ohhh, gonna be a riot in the streets tonight
Gonna be a riot in the streets tonight
Gonna be a riot in the streets tonight
Gonna be a riot tonight