Cornell West/Tavis Smiley Interlude Songtext
von Gerald Levert

Dr. West, I think Gerald is trying to remind us that our struggle
Has always been about suffering, sacrifice and service. That′s what
Dr. King meant when he said that unearned suffering is redemptive
You know Brother Tavis, Gerald Levert who was the greatest soul singer
Of his generation has the courage to speak for the world because
He knows that the condition of truth is to allow suffering to speak


You talk about sacrifice, you gotta remember that cowardice asks is
It safe, expediency asks is it politic, vanity asks is it popular
But conscience asks is it right. And every now and then we must take
Positions that are neither comfortable nor safe nor politic nor
Convenient, but we do it because our
Conscience tells us that it's right
Or as the great Curtis Mayfield used to say, "Freedom is not free
You have to be willing to pay a price and to bear the cost"

Service, any of us can be great because all of us can serve
All it takes is a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love
Reminding us of the biblical imperative, "He or she who is greatest
Among you will be your servant" and to serve is not simply to be
Successful, it is to learn how to love because
You cannot lead the people if you don′t love the
People, you cannot save the people if you don't