Linton Kwesi Johnson

dem wi´gi' whey dem talent to di state
an´di black workin´ class andahrate
dem wi´ side wid oppressah
w´en di goin´ get ruff
side wid aggressah
w´en di goin´ get tuff

dem a black petty-booshwah
dem full of flaw
dem a black petty-booshwah
dem full of flaw

tru dem seh dem edicate dem a gwaan irate
tru dem seh dem edicate dem a seek tap rate
dem a seek posishan
aaf di backs of blacks
seek promoshan
aaf di backs af blacks

dem a black petty-booshwah
dem full of flaw
dem a black petty-booshwah
dem full of flaw

dem a run-up dem mout´ an´ a shout all about
tru dem have a lat a dou´t ´bout di stren´t af blacks
dem a run-up dem mout´
an´ a shout all about
but w´en wi launch wi attack
dem wi´ haffi dress back

dem a black petty-booshwah
dem full of flaw
dem a black petty-booshwah
dem full of flaw!

w'en mi jus' come to Landan toun
mi use to work pan di andahgroun
but workin' pan di andahgroun
y'u don't get fi know your way around

Inglan is a bitch
dere's no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
dere's no runnin' whey fram it

mi get a lickle jab in a bih 'otell
an' awftah a while, mi woz doin' quite well
dem staat mi aaf as a dish-washah
but w'en mi tek a stack, mi noh tun clack-watchah

Inglan is a bitch
dere's no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
no baddah try fi hide fram it

w'en dem gi' you di lickle wage packit
fus dem rab it wid dem big tax rackit
y'u haffi struggle fi mek en's meet
an' w'en y'u goh a y'u bed y'u jus' can't sleep

Inglan is a bitch
dere's no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
a noh lie mi a tell, a true

mi use to work dig ditch w'en it cowl noh bitch
mi did strang like a mule, but bwoy, mi did fool
den awftah a while mi jus' stap dhu ovahtime
den awftah a while mi jus' phu dung mi tool

Inglan is a bitch
dere's no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
y'u haffi know how fi survive in it

well mi dhu day wok an' mi dhu nite wok
mi dhu clean wok an' mi dhu dutty wok
dem seh dat black man is very lazy
but if y'u si how mi wok y'u woulda sey mi crazy

Inglan is a bitch
dere's no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
y'u bettah face up to it

dem a have a lickle facktri up inna Brackly
inna disya facktri all dem dhu is pack crackry
fi di laas fifteen years dem get mi laybah
now awftah fifteen years mi fall out a fayvah

Inglan is a bitch
dere's no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
dere's no runnin' whey fram it

mi know dem have work, work in abundant
yet still, dem mek mi redundant
now, at fifty-five mi gettin' quite ol'
yet still, dem sen' mi fi goh draw dole

Inglan is a bitch
dere's no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
is whey wi a goh dhu 'bout it?

Whenever it rains I think of you
And I always remember that day in may
When I saw you walking in the rain
I know not what it was nor why
For ususally I'm quite shy
I ax'd your name, you smile and said "Lorraine"
I ax'd if I could share your umbrella
You smiled and said "what a cheeky little fella"

Now I'm standin' in the rain in vain, Loraine
Hoping to see you again
Tears fall from me eyes like rain, Loraine
A terrible pain in me brain, Loraine
You're drivin' me insane

Whenever it rains I think of you
And I always remember that day in may
When I saw you walking in the rain
I know not what it was nor why
For ususally I'm quite shy
but from the moment I saw you
I knew, that I needed you in my life
from that moment on I knew
that I wanted you for my wife

Now I'm standin' in the rain in vain, Loraine
Hoping to see you again
Tears fall from me eyes like rain, Loraine
A terrible pain in me brain, Loraine
You're drivin' me insane

Whenever it rains I think of you
And I always remember that day in may
When I saw you walking in the rain
I know not what it was nor why
For ususally I'm quite shy
I said " let's go back to my place for some coffee"
You frown and said "well, kiss me batty"
I fell so ashamed, I did not even notice
When your bus came, and went again

Now I'm standin' in the rain in vain, Loraine
Hoping to see you again
Tears fall from me eyes like rain, Loraine
A terrible pain in me brain, Loraine
You're drivin' me insane, Loraine, Loraine, Loraine

Shock, black double down-beat bouncin'
Rock-wize tumble doun sound music
Foot drop, find drum blood story
bass his'try is a-movin' is a-hurtin' black story

Thunder from a bass drum soundin'
Lightnin' from a trumpet and a organ
Bass and rythm and trumpet double up
Keep up with drums for a deep pound searchin'

Ridim of a tropical, electrical storm
Cool doun to de base of struggle
Flame ridim of historical yearnin'
Flame ridim of de time of turnin'
Measurin' de time for bombs and for burnin'

Slo' drop, make stop, move forward
Dig doun to de root of pain
Shape it into violence for de people
They will know what to do, they will do it

DI EAGLE AND DI BEAR

Di Eagle and di Bear a keep a living in fear
Of the impending nuclear warfare
But as a matter of fact a€" believe it or not
Plenty people don't care whether it imminent or not
Or who di first one to attack or if the human race
(aba) survive or not
For those whom is aware
Them life already coming like a nightmare

And you can see it everywhere
The famine and the fear
The doubt and the drought
Desperation and despair
And you can see it all around
The massacres abound
Dead bodies all around
The atrocities abound
Missing persons can' t be found
Dictators get dethroned
New clowns are quickly found

dem wi´gi' whey dem talent to di state
an´di black workin´ class andahrate
dem wi´ side wid oppressah
w´en di goin´ get ruff
side wid aggressah
w´en di goin´ get tuff

dem a black petty-booshwah
dem full of flaw
dem a black petty-booshwah
dem full of flaw

tru dem seh dem edicate dem a gwaan irate
tru dem seh dem edicate dem a seek tap rate
dem a seek posishan
aaf di backs of blacks
seek promoshan
aaf di backs af blacks

dem a black petty-booshwah
dem full of flaw
dem a black petty-booshwah
dem full of flaw

dem a run-up dem mout´ an´ a shout all about
tru dem have a lat a dou´t ´bout di stren´t af blacks
dem a run-up dem mout´
an´ a shout all about
but w´en wi launch wi attack
dem wi´ haffi dress back

dem a black petty-booshwah
dem full of flaw
dem a black petty-booshwah
dem full of flaw!

It was in April, nineteen.....eighty one
Down 'n on dee ghetto of Brix-ton
Dat deh Babylon dem cause such a fric-tion
Dat it bring about a GREAT insohreck-shun
And it spread all over deh nay-shun
It was TRULY an historical occas-sion
It was event of deh year and I wish I had been deer
When we run riot 'tall over Brixton
When we MASH up 20 police van
When we MASH up the wicked one plan
When we MASH up the swam(?) '81, fi what?
Fi make deh rule of dem understand
Dat we NAH take no more of dem oppression
And meh check out deh ghetto grapevine
To find out all dat I can find
Every rebel jus a revel in dem stahry
Dem ah talk bout deh power and deh glory
Dem ah talk bout deh burning and the looting
Dem ah talk bout deh smashing and the grabbing
Dem ah tell me bout deh vanquish and deh victree
Dem said deh babylon dem went too far
??????????????????????????????????????????
And one or two innocent get marred, buh wha?
Thas how it go sometimes in a war, in star(?)
Thas how it go sometimes in a war
Dem say we burn down deh Judge we coulda burn da landlord
We burn down deh Judge we never burn da landlord
When we run riot 'tall over Brixton
When we MASH up 20 police van
When we MASH up the wicked one plan
When we MASH up the swam(?) '81
Dem say we commendear car and we gather ammunition
We build wif barricade and deh wicked catch afraid
We send out we scout figure find dem whereabout
Den we form up wif posse and we make ??? raid
Well now dem run down deh plan "call to action"
But dem plastic bullet an' dem water can-non
Will bring a BLAM BLAM, will bring a BLAM BLAM
Nevermind scare mahn...WE bring a BLAM BLAM

Mekkin Histri

now tell mi someting
mistah govahment
tell mi someting

how lang yu really feel
yu coulda keep wi andah heel
wen di trute done reveal
bout how yu grab an steal
bout how yu mek yu crooked deal
mek yu crooked deal?

well doun in Soutall
where Peach did get fall
di Asians dem faam-up a human wall
gense di fashist an dem police sheil
an dem show dat di Asians gat plenty zeal
gat plenty zeal
gat plenty zeal

it is noh mistri
wi mekkin histri
it is noh mistri
wi winnin victri

now tell mi someting
mistah police spokesman
tell mi someting

how lang yu really tink
wi woulda tek yu batn lick
yu jackboot kick
yu dutty bag a tricks
an yu racist pallyticks
yu racist pallyticks?

well doun in Bristal
dey ad noh pistal
but dem chase di babylan away
man yu shoulda si yu babylan
how dem really run away
yu shoulda si yu babylan dem dig-up dat dey
dig-up dat dey
dig-up dat dey

it is noh mistri
wi mekkin histri
it is noh mistri
wi winnin victri

now tell mi someting
mistah ritewing man
tell mi someting

how lang yu really feel
wi woulda grovel an squeal
wen soh much murdah canceal
wen wi woun cyaan heal
wen wi feel di way wi feel
feel di way wi feel?
well dere woz Toxteh

an dere woz Moss Side
an a lat a addah places
whey di police ad to hide
well dere woz Brixtan
an dere woz Chapeltoun
an a lat a addah place dat woz burnt to di groun
burnt to di groun
burnt to di groun

it is noh mistri
wi mekkin histri
it is noh mistri
wi winnin victri

You nuh see how de clou' them jus' came sit upon me dream
came sit upon me dream like a dark silk screen
a dark silk screen over de vision I had seen
vision I had seen, the vision I had seen

So me say that Walter Radni was a victim of hate
someone say that him gone thru heaven's gate
someone that Walter Radni shouldn't tek up his true weight
an' go carry 'pon 'im back like 'im de weary man a rock

But look how de clou' dem jus' came sat upon me dream
came sit upon me dream like a shout or a scream
a shout or a scream or a really ugly scene
that awake me from the dream an' alert me to the scheme

So me say that Walter Radni was a prisoner of fate
someone say that him gone thru de hero's gate
someone say that Walter Radni couldn't tek his true weight
so 'im tek it off 'im back an' go pick it 'pon 'im lap
an' go fall in a trap, an' Sam Burnham get it drop

But look how me dream come jus' get blown to smithereen
came blown to smithereen ina de miggle of the dream
Miggle of the dream before de peeple dem come in
peeple dem come in, the peeple dem come in

So me say that Walter Radni was no shark fi de sea
An' all that him did wan' was fi set 'im peeple free
Wi' de workers an' de peasan's him should a corporate
But like a fish to de hook, 'im go bite 'pon Burnham bait

You nuh see how me dream come jus' get blown to smithereen
An' blown to smithereen ina de miggle of the dream
Miggle of the dream before de really crucial scene
the really crucial scene when the peeple dem come in

galang dada
galang gwwaan yaw sah
yu nevvah ad noh life fi live
jus di wan life fi give
yu did yu time pan ert
yu nevvah get yu jus dizert
galang goh smile inna di sun
galang goh satta inna di palace af peace

o di waatah
it soh deep
di waatah
it soh daak
an it full a hawbah shaak

di lan is like a rack
slowly shattahrin to san
sinkin in a sesa af calamity
where fear breed shadows
dat lurks in di daak
where people fraid fi waak
fraid fi tink fraid fi taak
where di present is haunted by di pass

a deh soh mi bawn
get fi know bout staam
learn fi cling to di dawn
an wen mi hear mi daddy sick
mi quickly pack an tek a trip

mi nevvah have noh time
when mi reach
fi si noh sunny beach
wen mi reach
jus people a live in shack
people livin back-to-back
mongst cackroach an rat
mongst dirt an dizeez
subjek to terrorist attack
political intrigue
kanstant grief
an noh sign af relief

o di grass
turn brown
soh many trees
cut doun
an di lan is ovahgrown

fram country to toun
is jus tissel an tawn
inna di woun a di poor
is a miracle ow dem endure

di pain nite an day
di stench af decay
di clarin sights
di guarded affluence
di arrogant vices
cole eyes af kantemp
di mackin symbals af independence

a deh soh mi bawn
get fi know bout staam
learn fi cling to di dawn
an wen di news reach mi
seh mi wan daddy ded
mi ketch a plane quick

an wen mi reach mi sunny isle
it woz di same ole style
di money well dry
di bullits dem a fly
plenty innocent a die
many rivahs run dry
ganja planes flyin high

di poor man im a try
yu tink a lickle try im try
holdin awn bye an bye
wen a dallah cyaan buy
a lickle dinnah fi a fly

galang dada
galang gwaan yaw sah
yu nevvah ad noh life fi live
jus di wan life fi give
yu did yu time pan ert
yu nevvah get yu jus dizert
galang goh smile inna di sun
galang goh satta inna di palace af peace

mi know yu couldn't tek it dada
di anguish an di pain
di suffahrin di prablems di strain
di strugglin in vain
fi mek two ens meet
soh dat dem pickney coulda get
a lickle someting fi eat
fi put cloaz pan dem back
fi put shoes pan dem feet
wen a dallah cyaan buy
a lickle dinnah fi a fly

mi know yu try dada
yu fite a good fite
but di dice dem did loaded
an di card pack fix
yet still yu reach fifty-six
before yu lose yu leg wicket
' a noh yu bawn grung here'
soh wi bury yu a Stranger's Burying Groun
near to mhum an cousin Daris
nat far fram di quarry
doun a August Town

people sayin' dis
people sayin' dat
'bout di yout' af today
how dem carryin' on away
an' it noh funny
it noh funny

dem wi' tek chance
fi get a lickle kile
dem wi' tek chance
fi live-it-up a while
dem wi' tek chance
fi live-it-up in style
dem wi' tek chance
fi goh jump an' prance
dem wi' tek chance
far dem love blues dance
dem wi' tek chance
an' dem don't count di caas

people sayin' dis
people sayin' dat
'bout di yout' af today
how dem causin' affray
an' it noh funny
it noh funny

dem wi' tek chance
an' dem love cuss raas
dem wi' tek chance
dem wi'skip dem claas
dem wi' tek chance
fi goh pap a lickle style
dem wi' tek chance
dem dhu it all di while
dem wi' tek chance
but some a dem laas
dem wi' tek chance
an'dem don't count di caas

people sayin' dis
people sayin' dat
'bout di yout' af today
'bout di way dem stay
an' it noh funny
it noh funny

dem wi' tek chance
fi get a lickle kally
dem wi' tek chance
wid y'u lickle sistah Sally
dem wi' tek chance
far dem feel dem force
dem wi' tek chance
but dem gat no course
dem wi' tek chance
but dem is nat advanced
dem wi' tek chance
an' dem don't count di caas

people sayin' dis
people sayin' dat
'bout di yout' af today
how dem really stay
an' it noh funny
it noh funny