Text: Paul Simon. The Essential Paul Simon. Adios Hermanos.

It was the morning of October 6th, 1960
I was wearing my brown suit
Preparing to leave the house of D
Shook some hands then adios Brooklyn amigos

Maybe some of them had hopes of seeing me again
Some even said that my judge, Judge Gerald Culkin
Wouldn't play it by the book
Maybe let us off the hook
But, woh, oo woh, I knew better

Afraid to leave the projects
To cross into another neighborhood
The blancos and the nigger gangs
Well, they'd kill you if they could

Angel of Mercy, people are suffering
All over the world
Spanish children are taught
On their knees to believe

Angel of Mercy, people are suffering
All over the island tonight
Mothers weep
Sisters grieve

Well, I entered the courtroom, State Of New York
County of New York, just some spic
They scrubbed off the sidewalk
Guilty by my dress, guilty in the press
Let The Capeman burn for the murder

Well the "Spanish boys" had their day in court
And now it was time for some fuckin' law and order
The electric chair, for the greasy pair
Said the judge to the court reporter

Afraid to leave the projects
To cross into another neighborhood
The newspapers and the T.V. crews
Well, they'd kill you if they could

Angel of Mercy, people are suffering
All over the world
A Spanish boy could be killed
Every night of the week

But just let some white boy die
And the world goes crazy
For blood-Latin blood
I don't lie when I speak

Well, they shackled my hands
A heavy belt around my waist to restrain me
And they shackled my legs
Hernandez, the "Umbrella Man," chained beside me

Then we rode that Black Maria
Through the streets of Spanish Harlem
Calling old friends on the corners
Just to lay our prayers upon them

Crying, adios Hermanos, Adios
Adios Hermanos, Adios
Adios Hermanos, Adios