I think being "woke" ought to make white people feel bad

[Stardust Mirror]

5. Zappa didn't say he wanted to be black

Here is the quote from his song "Trouble Every Day" which refers to the Watts riots:
"I'm not black but there's a whole lots a times I wish I could say I'm not white"

Here are the complete lyrics:

Well, I'm about to get sick
From watchin' my TV
Been checkin' out the news until my eyeballs fail to see
I mean to say that every day is just another rotten mess
And when it's gonna change, my friends, is anybody's guess
So I'm watchin' and I'm waitin'
Hopin' for the best
Even think I'll go to prayin'
Every time I hear 'em sayin'
That there's no way to delay that trouble comin' every day
No way to delay that trouble comin' every day
Wednesday I watched the riot, I seen the cops out on the street
Watched 'em throwin' rocks and stuff and chokin' in the heat
Listened to reports about the whisky passin' 'round
Seen the smoke and fire and the market burnin' down
Watched while everybody on his street would take a turn
To stomp and smash and bash and crash and slash and bust and burn
And I'm watchin' and I'm waitin'
Hopin' for the best
Even think I'll go to prayin'
Every time I hear 'em sayin'
That there's no way to delay that trouble comin' every day
No way to delay that trouble comin' every day
Well, you can cool it you can heat it
'Cause, baby, I don't need it
Take your TV tube and eat it
And all that phony stuff on sports and all the unconfirmed reports
You know I watched that rotten box until my head began to hurt
From checkin' out the way the newsmen say they get the dirt
Before the guys on channel so-and-so, further they assert
That any show they'll interrupt
To bring you news if it comes up
They say that if the place blows up
They'll be the first to tell
Because the boys they got downtown are workin' hard and doin' swell
And if anybody gets the news
Before it hits the street they say that no one blabs it faster
Their coverage can't be beat
And if another woman driver
Gets machine-gunned from her seat
They'll send some joker with a brownie and you'll see it all complete
So I'm watchin' and I'm waitin'
Hopin' for the best
Even think I'll go to prayin'
Every time I hear 'em sayin'
That there's no way to delay that trouble comin' every day
No way to delay that trouble comin' every day
Hey, you know something people?
I'm not black but there's a whole lots a times I wish I could say I'm not white
Well, I seen the fires burnin' and the local people turnin'
On the merchants and the shops who used to sell their brooms and mops
And every other household item
Watched the mob just turn and bite 'em
And they say it served 'em right
Because a few of them are white
And it's the same across the nation, black and white discrimination
Yellin' "you can't understand me!"
And all that other jazz they hand me
In the papers and TV and all that mass stupidity
That seems to grow more every day
Each time you hear some nitwit say
He wants to go and do you in
'Cause the color of your skin
Just don't appeal to him
No matter if it's black or white because he's out for blood tonight
You know we gotta sit around at home and watch this thing begin
But I bet there won't be many left to see it really end
'Cause the fire in the street ain't like the fire in the heart
And in the eyes of all these people don't you know that this could start?
On any street, in any town, in any state if any clown
Decides that now's the time to fight
For some ideal he thinks is right
And if a million more agree, there ain't no great society
As it applies to you and me
Our country isn't free
And the law refuse to see if all that you can ever be
Is just a lousy janitor
Unless your uncle owns a store
You know that five in every four
Just won't amount to nothin' more
Than watchin' rats go across the floor
And make up songs about being poor
Blow your harmonica, son!

PS I am a HUGE Zappa fan. I own over 100 off his officially released cds, plus vinyl, books, videos, etc.