My grandma gave me this yellow ukulele
Brought it back from Hawaii in summer 1958
For years later and I'm pretty good at yellow ukulele
Now my grandma's dead and Hawaii is a state
So I thought it might be nice to take vacation to Hawaii
But I could not afford a ticket so I took some pills instead
Now my bags are packed but I ain't a-going to Hawaii
I'm going to juvie hall to see about my head
Oh Susannah
You're gonna find a way
Oh Susannah
To make it through the day
Believe me when I say
It's gonna be ok
It's gonna be ok, hey hey
And the state of things around here just worsen by the hour
And by "here" I mean my bedroom but America as well
I'm sweet sixteen but Lordy, I feel a little sour
Cos I'm too black to be indifferent, but too yellow to rebel
And in my chest, that dread begins to sprout
I make up songs in my head to tune it out
And as I feel that lump form in my throat
I just sing myself the lullaby that I wrote
Oh Susannah
You're gonna find a way
Oh Susannah
To make it through the day
Believe me when I say
It's gonna be ok
It's gonna be ok, hey hey
Oh Susannah (Huh)
You're gonna find a way
Oh Susannah (Huh)
To make it through the day
Believe me when I say (Hey)
It's gonna be ok
It's gonna be ok, hey hey (Hey)