Vuonna 1972 James Brown ensin julkaisi singlenä King Heroin -kappaleen ja muutaman kuukauden kuluttua jatkoi aiheesta tällä kaksiosaisessa Public Enemy -biisillä.
”You know, this is James Brown
I’m such a lover of people
because people did so much for me
I’m a lover of humanity, all of mankind
and I feel that He who has been successful
should look out for his fellow brother,
I feel that is my role, that is my job
I know when i was a kid,
see I was going to be a preacher, huh, ay
maybe I am, but I feel like I’m a teacher, somewhat,
because i’ve been able to experience things that most, the poor,
or a lot of other people have never been able to, even the rich.
So I’ll start by preaching right here,
because I want to preach to you one more time about heroin.
I talked once before, now I want to preach.
i want to start by saying
I heard heroin talking one more time and said
From where I came, nobody knows
I come from the land where the poppy seed grows
a whole nation gathered to plot my destruction
because I’m a breeder of crime and wholesale corruption
…you say, I’m pure and then undilluatable
and once I’m in your blood I make it pursuitable
now only they say sing it on son,
sing it on son, she says i’ve lost my son, he’s gone away
sing it on son, you might save a life
I said madam, lookie here,
I say, on the record and make all men
that date to use it will wallow in sin
driven then to commit a world of crime
…captive their will and destroy their mind
they changed their lives and destroyed the meek
misuser of fools and made the strong men weak.
I know!!
wait a minute,
lookie here,
they take gold from the rich and made them poor
take young foolish maden and made her a whore.
look at that!
and then I heard, about that time,
I heard a man in the corner,
he was sitting down with his head down low,
I noticed him when he first walk in
and he was addicted to drugs and he said I feel it,
and brother I want to getup and testify
so everybody started screamin and hollerin and crying
I saw a little tears coming from my eye, because I know I felt it
and this brother got up and said, let me have it!
I want to tell you everything! Talk to a man that knows!
he said, some will sell me and some will buy
for a state of affection and they cause high
but regardless of the position, and reason of use
you control my addition, and I give nothing but abuse
he said let me tell you about heroin,
and the full cause of torment
for its pleasures and pain
it will take all of your money and poison your brain
lord, I started singing, mmmmm
the place started rocking a little bit
I heard someone tapping their foot, and they said sing on brother
I started humming a little in the back ground
and then that brother said wait a minute
he said, beware of the sharp needle brother
it’ll make you sick
annoint angels and won’t let you kick
it’ll make you hustle, steal, borrow and beg
I’m still talking about that bad thing, king heroin
when you want to look for a vein in your arm or your leg
…I felt so bad I didn’t know what to do.
he said, more more precious than diamonds, more treasured than gold
more potent than whiskey, more gathered than wine
it’ll just give you discomfort, and no peace of mind
and when you come out the nod you’ll always be aware,
you shot every drop into your heart
and its full of fear
now you must rush out and hit another sting
praise me, as I oh heroin the king
but he said be quick my friend, get off your knees!
oh yeah!!! get off your knees.
you’re up tight and accept no pleas”
