Tough Folks
Surviving Shadows: Resilience in the Heart of the South
Lyrics
I'm caught in the shadows, the American South
I feel trapped in the challenges and complexities of the American South.
Somewhere between hypocrite and hallelujah
I find myself in a position between being a hypocrite and expressing praise.
Six generations of barely gettin' by
My family has struggled for six generations, barely making ends meet.
Six generations of hate, what's it to ya?
There's a history of hatred spanning six generations, and it's evident; what's your perspective?
When the only thing harder than the work is the luck
Work is incredibly challenging, and luck is even harder to come by.
The outcome's as hopeful as the evenin' news
The outcome of our efforts is as uncertain as the news we hear every evening.
And last November I saw firsthand
In the last November, I witnessed firsthand the extreme actions driven by desperation.
What desperation makes good people do
Desperation can lead good people to do things they wouldn't normally do.
Life ain't fair
Life is unjust, but you have to face it head-on and persevere.
Saddle up, boy, and see it through
Get ready for the challenges, and see them through.
Tough times don't last
Difficult moments are temporary, but resilient people endure.
Tough folks do
Tough individuals withstand the test of time.
See I come from a long line of Carolina farmers
I come from a lineage of farmers in North Carolina.
For years, tobacco was the answer
Tobacco was a reliable source of income until it became associated with cancer.
It kept the lights on and put food on the table
Tobacco sustained us, providing light and food until health concerns arose.
'Til the doctors started callin' it cancer
Medical professionals linked tobacco to cancer, changing our way of life.
So we took to the hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains
We moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains, cultivating corn and making moonshine.
With a harvest of corn and some copper line
Our livelihood shifted to corn and homemade alcohol.
And we found you can get a little slice of heaven
We discovered a slice of heaven through hard work and patience.
With some sugar yeast water and a whole lotta time
Creating moonshine required sugar, yeast, water, and a considerable amount of time.
Life ain't fair
Life is unjust, but face it with determination.
Saddle up, boy, and see it through
Prepare yourself for challenges and persevere.
Tough times don't last
Difficult times are temporary, but resilient individuals endure.
But tough folks do
Tough people withstand the test of time.
Where I'm from a man's only worth the weight of his word and
In my community, a person's value is determined by their integrity, not their weight.
Respect ain't handed out, it's earned
Respect is not freely given; it must be earned.
I've been runnin' with my back to the wall for seventeen years now
I've been facing challenges for seventeen years with my back against the wall.
And if it's one thing that I've learned, it's ...
Through these experiences, I've learned...
Life ain't fair
Life is unjust, but face it with determination.
Saddle up, boy, and see it through
Prepare yourself for challenges and persevere.
Tough times don't last
Difficult times are temporary, but resilient individuals endure.
But tough folks do
Tough people withstand the test of time.
Life ain't fair
Life is unjust, but face it with determination.
Saddle up, saddle up
Get ready for challenges, saddle up.
Life ain't fair
Life is unjust, but face it with determination.
Saddle up, saddle up
Get ready for challenges, saddle up.
Life ain't fair
Life is unjust, but face it with determination.
Saddle up, boy, and see it through
Prepare yourself for challenges and see them through.
Tough times don't last
Difficult times are temporary, but resilient individuals endure.
But tough folks do
Tough people withstand the test of time.
Tough times don't last
Difficult times may be prolonged, but resilient individuals endure.
But tough folks do
Tough people withstand the test of time.
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