Ain't We Brothers

On his 2015 "Ain't We Brothers" album. This song was written for Sam Hall, a gay West Virginia miner who faced a lot of discrimination at his place of work. He had the courage to take the coal company to court challenging their discrimination.

• 2010 Reuters article on Sam Hall
• Article on Sam Hall from Center for American Progress
• Coverage in WV Public Radio

I was born here, just the same as you, another time, another day.
I’m sure the good Lord took his time & made each of us just this way.
I walked beside you step by step and it never crossed my mind
That I would grow up one of the different kind, 
But that didn’t stop me from chopping the wood, scraping my knees like all boys should,
Goin’ down to the creek in the noonday sun, wringing out my shirt when the work got done.
G ↓ C - / G ↓ C D / G - C - / Em C D - / G - C - / Em C Em D -  

First things first, I’m a blue collar man with scars on my knuckles, dust on my hands
You probably wouldn’t have ever known that I’ve got a man waiting on me at home_
To tell you the truth, I don’t want to fight, I just want to say one thing outright 
To you:_  "Ain’t we flesh & blood all thru 
_  _  _ And ain’t we brothers too?" _ _  _
C D G ↓ / C G C D - / G ↓  C - / Em C Em C / Em C D - G - - -

I took a job & worked right by you, walked down in that hole beside you,
Thought I heard some whisper sound, I got found out, word got around.  
I got made out for something I’m not, got called everything but a child of God
They didn’t mind to show it out in the parking lot, so I cut my coal with my head hung down,
Just like a stranger in my own town, I got bitter day by day,
Went home every night with the mess they made. 

(bridge)  Tell me I’m not man enough to set foot in that mine
Go on and tell me that once more, to my face this time. 
C - G D ://

(tag) To tell you the truth, I don’t want to fight, I just want to say one thing outright 
To you:_  "Ain’t we flesh & blood all thru 
_  _  _ And ain’t we brothers too?" _ _  _
G ↓  C - / Em C Em C / Em C D - G - - -

—lyrics & music by Sam Gleaves
(c) 2015 Fabulachian Music, ASCAP. All rights reserved.