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

I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down
Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town
And I wear it for the prisoner who is long paid for his crime
But still he's there because he's a victim of the times

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, you'd think He's talking straight to youth and me?

Well, we're doin' mighty fine, I do suppose
In our streak of 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 wear it for the sick and lonely old
For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold
I wear the black in mournin' for the lives that could have been
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men

And yes, I wear it for the thousands who have died
Believin' that the Lord was on their side
And I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died
Believin' that we all were on their side

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

I'd love to wear a rainbow every day
To tell the world that everything's okay
But maybe I can carry off a little darkness on my back
Till things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black

(Live at Campus, [bad word] 17, 1971 )