No Knock Songtext
von Gil Scott‐Heron

Um, we want to do a poem for one of our unfavorite people
Um, who′s now the head of the, uh, Nixon campaign
He was formerly the Attorney General named John Mitchell
Um, Nixon's campaign seems to be out, you know
Getting off on a rather hip foot after his trip to China in the name of peace
Uh, while they were killing people right across the street
So to speak, in, uh, North and South Vietnam

But, um, no-knock, the law in particular, was allegedly
Legislated for black people rather than, you know, for their destruction
And it means, simply, that authorities and members of the police force
No longer have to knock on your door before entering
They can now knock your door down
It′s no-knock

You explained it to me, I must admit, but just
For the record, you were talking shit
Long rapped about no-knock being legislated
For the people you've always hated
In this hellhole that you, we, call home


No-knock, the man will say
To keep that man from beating his wife
No-knock, the man will say
To protect people from themselves

No knockin', head-rockin′, inter-shockin′
Shootin', cussin′, killin', cryin′, lyin'
And bein′ white
No knock

No knocked on my brother Fred Hampton
Bullet holes all over the place
No knocked on my brother Michael Harris
And jammed a shotgun against his skull

For my protection?
Who's gonna protect me from you?
The likes of you?
The nerve of you?
To talk that shit face to face
Your tomato face deadpan
Your deadpan denting another freedom plan

No knockin', head rockin′, inter-shockin′
Shootin', cussin′, killin', cryin′, lyin'
And bein′ white


But if you're wise, no knocker
You'll tell your no-knockin′ lackeys
Ha!
No knock on my brother′s head
No knock on my sister's head
No knock on my brother′s head
No knock on my sister's head

And double lock your door
Because soon someone may be no-knockin′
Ha, ha!
For you

No knock: to be slipped into John Mitchell's suggestion box