Qu'as-tu fait John?

In the heart of Louisiana
John under a blazing sun
Works near La Savane
In a big cotton field
He’s sweating buckets
It’s hot, he can’t take it anymore
When suddenly on the road
A crowd rushes in
Towards poor John who’s trembling
Margaret raises her finger
To the gathering crowd
She says: "He threw himself at me!"

What did you do, John? What did you do?
He threw himself at a white woman
What did you do, John? What did you do?
He drank too much on Sunday
Drunk as a skunk
What did you do, John? What did you do?

They take John to the village
To the sheriff's house
All the white folks screaming in rage
Demanding a quick judgment
"He's a bastard: hang him!"
"To teach them a lesson!"
John writhes under the branch
A shiver, then it’s over
The white men, the white women
Go to bed in the night

What did you do, John? What did you do?
Don’t mess with white women
What did you do, John? What did you do?
You look pretty stupid at the end of that rope!
You’re hanging and you deserve it
What did you do, John? What did you do?

On the sleeping house
Margaret knocks loudly
The sheriff who wakes up
Asks her: "What do you want?"
"I’m the one who wanted the black man,"
She says, "I’m here to confess"
"I’m the one who loved the black man,"
"Then John turned me down"
The sheriff is angry:
"Oh! What a fuss over a black man!"
"Come on, don’t worry about it!"
"Goodnight, Margaret! Goodnight!"

What did you do, John? What did you do?
Reject a white woman!
What did you do, John? What did you do?
Now you’re hanging from a branch
A voice answers in the wind:
"He’s happier than before..."
"John is in heaven..."
"Where the poor black folks pray"
"John is now a player"
He’s at the Good Lord’s table