Well, you wonder why I always dress in black
Why you never see bright colors on my back
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone
There´s a reason for the things that I have on

I wear the black for the poor and beaten-down
Livin´ on the hopeless, hungry side of town
I wear it for the prisoners who has long paid for his crime
But is there because he´s a victim of the times

I´m the man...

Well I wear the black for those who´ve never read
Or listened to the words that Jesus said
About the road to happiness, through love and charity
Why do you think He´s talkin´ straight to you and me

We´re doing mighty fine I do suppose
In our streak-a-lightnin´ cars and fancy clothes
But, just so we´re reminded of the ones who are held back
Up front there ought to be a man in black

I´m the man, I´m the man in black
I´m the man, I´m the man in black

I wear it for the sick and lonely old,
For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold
I wear the black in mourning for the lives that could have been
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men

Well, there´s things that never will be right, I know
And things need changin´ everywhere we go
But ´til we start to make a move, to make a few things right
You´ll never see me wear a suite of white

Oh, I´d love to wear a rainbow every day
And tell the world that everything´s O.K.
But I´ll try to carry off a little darkness on my back
`Til things are brighter, I´m the man in black

I´m the man, the man in black
Oh yeah, I´m the man, the man in black...