Mississippi Goddam chords by Nina Simone

Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E)

Key: G

Difficulty: Intermediate

Spoken Introduction:
G6
The name of this tune is Mississippi Goddam

And I mean every word of it

Verse 1: x2
G6
Alabama's gotten me so upset
                  Am7     D7
Tennessee made me lose my rest
   Am/C Bdim7 Am/C   D    C/E  D/F#   G  G    Am7 D7
And everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam

G11
Can't you see it
G
Can't you feel it
     Cmaj7
It's all in the air
A7                                     D7
I can't stand the pressure much longer

Somebody say a prayer

Chorus:
G6
Alabama's gotten me so upset
                  Am7     D7
Tennessee made me lose my rest
    Am/C Bdim7 Am/C  D    C/E  D/F#   G      F#m7sus4 B7
And everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam

Em
(This is a show tune, but the show hasn't been written for it, yet)

Verse 2:
Em
Hound dogs on my trail
                                F#m7b5
School children sitting in jail
          B7
Black cat cross my path
  Em7                     B7    Em
I think every day's gonna be my last

Em
Lord have mercy on this land of mine

We all gonna get it in due time
  F#m7b5
I don't belong here
  B7
I don't belong there
     Em7              B7       Em
I've even stopped believing in prayer

Em
Don't tell me, I'll tell you
                                F#m7b5
Me and my people just about due
                B7
I've been there so I know
     Em7           B7   Em
They keep on saying "Go slow!"

Refrain:
Em
But that's just the trouble

"too slow"
Em
Washing the windows

"too slow"
Am7
Picking the cotton

"too slow"
       Em
You're just plain rotten

"too slow"
      F#/C#
You're too damn lazy

"too slow"
    Am/C          B7
The thinking's crazy

"too slow"
C/E        F9
Where am I going
Em7       A7
What am I doing
Eb7     Eb7
I don't know
D11     D7
I don't know

G6
Just try to do your very best
                          Am7      D7
Stand up, be counted with all the rest
      Am/C Bdim7 Am/C  D     C/E  D/F#  G  G    F#m7sus4 B7
Cause everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam

Em
(I bet you thought I was kidding, didn't you)

Verse 3:
Em
Picket lines, school boycotts

They try to say it's a communist plot
F#m7b5          B7
All I want is equality
       Em7               B7           Em7
For my sister, my brother, my people, and me

Em
Yes, you lied to me all these years

You told me to wash and clean my ears
    F#m7b5         B7
And talk real fine just like a lady
Em7                   B7         Em7
And you'd stop calling me Sister Sadie

Em
Oh but this whole country is full of lies

You're all gonna die and die like flies
F#m7b5            B7
I don't trust you any more
    Em7           B7   Em7
You keep on saying "Go slow!"

"Go slow!"


Refrain:
Em
But that's just the trouble

"too slow"

Desegregation

"too slow"
  Am7
Mass participation

"too slow"
  Em7
Reunification

"too slow"
F#/C#
Do things gradually

"too slow"
    Am/C           B7
But bring more tragedy

"too slow"
C/E           F9#11
Why don't you see it
Em7       A7
Why don't you feel it
Eb7     Eb7
I don't know
D11     D7
I don't know

Chorus:
G6
You don't have to live next to me
                Am7   B7
Just give me my equality
      Am/C Bdim7 A/C   D    C/E  D/F#
Cause everybody knows about Mississippi
Am/C Bdim7 A/C   D    C/E  D/F#
Everybody knows about Alabama
Am/C Bdim7 A/C   D    C/E  D/F#   G G F9 F9 G F9 G F9 G
Everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam

Spoken Outro:
That's it!