We Didnt Know

We Didn’t Know by Tom Paxton. From the 1965 album "Ain’t That News!" [Intro] "We didn’t know" said the bürgermeister "About those camps on the edge of town. It was Hitler and his crew That tore the German nation down. We saw the cattle cars it’s true; Maybe they carried a Jew or two. They woke us up as they rattled through But what did you expect me to do?" [Chorus] We didn’t know at all; We didn’t see a thing. You can’t hold us to blame - What could we do? It was a terrible shame But we can’t bear the blame. Oh no not us we didn’t know. [Verse 1] "We didn’t know" said the congregation Singing a hymn in a church of white. "The Press was full of lies about us Preacher told us we were right. The outside agitators came; They burned some churches and put the blame On decent southern people’s names To set our colored people aflame. And maybe some of our boys got hot And a couple of niggers and reds got shot They should have stayed where they belong - The preacher would’ve told us if we’d done wrong." [Chorus] We didn’t know at all; We didn’t see a thing. You can’t hold us to blame - What could we do? It was a terrible shame But we can’t bear the blame. Oh no not us we didn’t know. [Verse 2] "We didn’t know" said the puzzled voter Watching the President on TV. "I guess we’ve got to drop those bombs If we’re gonna keep South Asia free. The President’s such a peaceful man I guess he’s got some kind of plan. They say we’re torturing prisoners of war But I don’t believe that stuff no more. Torturing prisoners is a communist game And You can bet they’re doing the same. I wish this war was over and through But what do you expect me to do?" [Chorus] We didn’t know at all; We didn’t see a thing. You can’t hold us to blame - What could we do? It was a terrible shame But we can’t bear the blame. Oh no not us we didn’t know.