Trump Invokes R&B Song In Explanation Against Negotiating with Terrorists: 'You Knew Damn Well I Was a Snake

During a campaign rally in Kansas City, Missouri, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump used the late R&B singer Al Wilson to explain why he is against "negotiating" and "bargaining" with terrorists.

Trump introduced Wilson's 1968 single "The Snake" by telling the audience that a "really successful" unnamed friend of his told him he needed to read it at his rallies.

Donald Trump addresses a crowd in Kansas City, Missouri, Saturday, March 12. (Image: YouTube/MSNBC)

"I love it, I think it's so great. Think of this in terms of terror and in terms of terrorists, OK?" Trump instructed the crowd before reading the song's lyrics. "Because we negotiate, we bargain. Sometimes you can't bargain so well, you have to show strength."

It took Trump several minutes to start reading the lyrics because he was frequently interrupted by protesters, who he ultimately said he was going to press charges against.

Once he was finally able to read the song lyrics, Trump seemingly equated the snake to terrorists and the United States to the "tender-hearted woman."

"On her way to work one morning, down the path along the lake, a tender-hearted woman saw a poor, half-frozen snake," Trump began. "His pretty-colored skin had been frosted with the dew. 'Oh well,' she cried, 'I'll take you in and I'll take care of you.'"

"'Take me in, oh tender woman, take me in for heaven's sake, take me in, oh tender woman,' sighed the broken snake," the Republican candidate continued. "She wrapped him up all cozy in a comforter of silk, and laid him by the fireside with some honey and some milk."

The song goes on to say that the woman arrived home from work the following day to find the snake still broken. She picked up the snake and stroked its skin.

"But, instead of saying, 'Thank you,' that snake gave her a vicious bite," Trump read enthusiastically. "'[I] saved you,' cried the woman, 'And you've bitten me, heaven's why? You know your bite is poisonous, and now I'm going to die.'"

"'Oh, shut up, silly woman,' said the reptile with a grin. 'You knew damn well I was a snake before you took me in,'" Trump concluded as the crowd erupted into applause.

"Right?" Trump added, shrugging his shoulders.

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