galang dada
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galang gwwaan yaw sah
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yu nevvah ad noh life fi live
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jus di wan life fi give
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yu did yu time pan ert
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yu nevvah get yu jus dizert
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galang goh smile inna di sun
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galang goh satta inna di palace af peace
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o di waatah
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it soh deep
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di waatah
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it soh daak
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an it full a hawbah shaak
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di lan is like a rack
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slowly shattahrin to san
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sinkin in a sesa af calamity
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where fear breed shadows
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dat lurks in di daak
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where people fraid fi waak
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fraid fi tink fraid fi taak
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where di present is haunted by di pass
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a deh soh mi bawn
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get fi know bout staam
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learn fi cling to di dawn
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an wen mi hear mi daddy sick
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mi quickly pack me grip an tek a trip
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mi nevvah have noh time
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when mi reach
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fi si noh sunny beach
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wen mi reach
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jus people a live in shack
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people livin back-to-back
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mongst cackroach an rat
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mongst dirt an dizeez
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subjek to terrorist attack
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political intrigue
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kanstant grief
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an noh sign af relief
|
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o di grass
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turn brown
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soh many trees
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cut doun
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an di lan is ovahgrown
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fram country to toun
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is jus tissel an tawn
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inna di woun a di poor
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is a miracle ow dem endure
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di pain nite an day
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di stench af decay
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di clarin sights
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di guarded affluence
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di arrogant vices
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cole eyes af kantemp
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di mackin symbals af independence
|
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a deh soh mi bawn
|
get fi know bout staam
|
learn fi cling to di dawn
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an wen di news reach mi
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seh mi wan daddy ded
|
mi ketch a plane quick
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an wen mi reach mi sunny isle
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it woz di same ole style
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di money well dry
|
di bullits dem a fly
|
plenty innocent a die
|
many rivahs run dry
|
ganja planes flyin high
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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
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fi mek two ens meet
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soh dat dem pickney coulda get
|
a lickle someting fi eat
|
fi put cloaz pan dem back
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fi put shoes pan dem feet
|
wen a dallah cyaan buy
|
a lickle dinnah fi a fly
|
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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'
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soh wi bury yu a Stranger's Burying Groun
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near to mhum an cousin Daris
|
nat far fram di quarry
|
doun a August Town
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Reggae Fi Dada
|
Linton Kwesi Johnson |