Sitting on the ground in di ghetto
Talking with my brother Natty Congo Bongo
Let me tell you what he said (bis)
How long shall I stay on that bridge,
Waiting for the Police to go
How long shall I smoke on that spliff
Waiting for the children to grow
Too long, we've been to long
Waiting for the children to grow...

Sitting on a step at di station
With Mama in a great tribulation
Let me tell you what she said (bis)
See dem a cheating and a lying
See dem a shootin' our children
And we're standing asidem doing nothing
And we're holdin' our head and crying...
Crying...

Sitting in the grass inna Zion
Chatting with an old countryman
Let me tell you what he said
They came up, to cut down my tree
They came up, to burn all di country
They came up...
Sufferin' souls in Asia
Sufferin' souls in Africa
Sufferin' souls in South America
Sufferin' souls everywhere,
And nowhere to go fe dem now...