$20 Bill (For George Floyd)

On this day of George Floyd’s memorial service in Houston, a repost of my version of Tom Prasada-Rao’s powerful tribute song.

Tom’s song has now been covered 20-30 times by a beautiful assortment of musicians.

This version was a part of my “Coffee On the Porch” Livestream on June 4th, 2020.

(Lyrics below. Thanks again to Tom for allowing so many of us to spread the word about this powerful song…EF)

 

$20 Bill (For George Floyd)

Some people die for honor


Some people die for love

Some people die while singing

To the heavens above

Some people die believing


In the cross on Calvary hill

And some people die
In the blink of an eye

For a $20 bill

Some people go out in glory

(Yeah) with the wind at their back

Some get to tell their own story

Write their own epitaph

Sometimes you see it coming


Sometimes you won’t know until

You run out of breath

With a knee on your neck

For a $20 bill.

O Brother, I never knew you

And now I never will

But I make this promise to you

I’ll remember you still

Take, eat, let this be our communion

It’s time to break the bread

Do this in remembrance

Just like the good book said

Sometimes the wine is a sacrament

Sometimes the blood is just spilled

Sometimes the law

Is the devils’ last straw

The future unfulfilled

…
Like the dream they killed


For a $20 bill

5/28/20 Silver Spring MDn

Words and Music By Tom Prasada-Rao

Copyright Tom Prasada-Rao ©2020. All Rights Reserved

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Eric Folkerth is a minister, musician, author and blogger. He is Senior Pastor of Kessler Park UMC United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas. Previously, he was pastor at Northaven UMC in Dallas for seventeen years. Eric loves to write on topics of spirituality, social justice, music/art and politics. The entries on this blog reflect that diversity of interests. His passion for social justice goes beyond mere words. Eric was arrested at the White House, defending immigrants and “The Dreamers;” and he’s officiated at same sex weddings. Eric was the 2017 recipient of the prestigeous Kuchling Humanitarian Award from Dallas’ Black Tie Dinner. (Human Rights Campaign) Eric has led or co-led hundreds of persons on mission trips to build houses and bring medical care around the globe, to places such as Mexico, Haiti, Russia, Guatemala, and Nepal. He is proud of have shephereded Highland Park UMC's construction of ten Habitat for Humanity homes, (and one Community Center) and helped forge an alliance with Habitat that led to the construction of 100 homes in Dallas, housing thousands of people. His wife, Justice Dennise Garcia, has 20 years experience as a state district judge and appelate justice in North Texas. First elected in 2004, she was the first Latina ever elected to a Dallas County state district bench, and she she left that position whe was the longest currently serving district judge. In 2020 Dennise Garcia was a elected as a Justice of the 5th District Court of Appeals for Texas. She is currently running to be Chief of the 5th District Court of Appeals in the 2024 cycle. They have the world’s best daughter, Maria, who is a practicing professional counselor in Dallas. Find links to Eric’s music-related websites, at the top of this site’s navigation menu.

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