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What Made the White Man White? Lyrics by Higher State

Higher State

2017

[EMC]
We love to claim it, our great nation
Post card picture perfect snowy white places
Molson Canadian, beaver tail maple
Tim Horton savoured, hockey skating
Welcome to the celebration, we made a special reservation
For First Nations populations tucked away in isolation
Far away from most Caucasians, silent war of decimation
Out of sight and out of mind of most Canadians
But not the first Canadians, you know
The ones with whom we traded
Gave em small pox and residential education
Starved them on to reservations
Took the land and segregated
Faced racist hatred through a violent assimilation
Government funded experimentation
Housing project degradation
Health care like 3rd world nation
Highest rates of incarceration
Cops drive kids off reservations
Leave em to die in the snow, isolated
Highest rates of suicide and homicide in the nation
I watched my best friend become a prison statistic
His father a survived they schools
But he lost his mother and sister
You don't think we have a race problem?
This story comes to mind:
On the rez when kids to got ready for church
They were asking "Why? Who died?î
[Chorus]
What made the white man white
Is it his white wash of history or his white lies?
His white picket fence that his privilege designed?
His white pointy cap, fully masked but his eyes?
The colour of the flame that burns a cross in the night?
Wall of the halls where the power resides?
The porcelain of his idol, his white mansion in the sky
Or the white light he's going to follow so he can take what he likes
[Hermitofthewoods]
We like to say it. 'We're not racist'
Anyone who says so is ignorant and tasteless
Let me kick the basics (You must learn!)
Let it burn
Back in the day when the Church was moved to Rome
White men stole and took control of the throne
They shaped knowledge by consensus to relentlessly ensure
That their power was absolute and forever would endure
The kings and queens of Europe
Sent their ships to spread the word
That their own claims to greatness
Were all rules to be observed
They conquered distant nations
And waged wars against the heathens
That is, any one on earth
Who didn't believe what they believe in
Empires rose upon the bones of those
From whom the lands were taken
Justified by a book held high, loosely translated
Established a ruling class and created global trade
The engine ran on genocide, but there was money to be made
Generations fade away and the machines just keep on turning
They lead a life of leisure while their fortunes do the earning
Secure in several centuries of social manipulation
That benefited white men in nearly every situation
[Chorus]
What made the white man white
Is it his white wash of history or his white lies?
His white picket fence that his privilege designed?
His white pointy cap, fully masked but his eyes?
The colour of the flame that burns a cross in the night?
Wall of the halls where the power resides?
The porcelain of his idol, his white mansion in the sky
Or the white light he's going to follow so he can take what he likes
Credits
Higher State

Higher State

About “What Made the White Man White?” by Higher State

Read the complete lyrics to "What Made the White Man White?" by Higher State from the album "Higher State" in 2017. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Rap.

"What Made the White Man White?" is performed by Higher State. from the album "Higher State" in 2017 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "What Made the White Man White?", explore more songs by Higher State using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"What Made the White Man White?" is credited to Higher State. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"What Made the White Man White?" appears on "Higher State" in 2017.

Visit the Higher State artist page at /artist/higher-state for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.