Damian Marley

Slave Driver

Damian Marley


Every time I hear the crack of a whip 
My blood runs cold 
I remember on the slave ship 
How they brutalized our very soul 
Today they say that we are free 
Only to be chained in poverty 
Good god I think it's illiteracy 
Only a machine that makes 

Slave driver 
your table has turned 
Catch a fire 
Your gonna get burned 
Slave driver 
your table has turned 
Catch a fire 
Your gonna get burned 

Now dem take up the ghetto youths 
And gi dem pure magazine 
And take up another set 
And gi dem pure 16 
And play dem dirty games 
Of bloody plots and schemes 
And watch dem like a show 
Ah harbor view big screen 
And con mi brother dem 
And go buy dem cream 
And turn dem inna police 
And bring dem in pon dem team 
Ah wah dis father 
Him drive10 grand 
worth ah government Lada 
and fight against the ones who 
have the same forefather 
him next door neighbor 
all weed we charge for 
we children slaughter 
ah we dem want murder 
just read di observer 
right now the city can't get no absurder 
after 400 years and whole heap ah brown sugar 
we ambush we brother 
and go on like never 
used to plan slavery revolt 
inna di bush dem together 
we change just like di weather 

Sons of slaves chant down sons of di slave driver 
Nah spear slave rider neither 
And if dem could dem would tax you pon saliva 
How much more must we die for 
The ones in the car while we're standing at the terminus 
The government bogus 
They don't work for us 
Instead dem chain and whip we with domestic fuss 
And guns and aids and drugs 
Cause most of di youths wid di schooling dem have 
Can't get no money from legitimate jobs 
Then you wonder why dem grab chain and bags 
You influence the youths fi turn gays and fags 
Or else dem canÕt afford not even torn up rags 
But table ah turn as mi turn table spun 
Di fire we ah catch up all a blaze and ah bun 
Dats why any time you see Rasta you run 

We nuh want no Babylon government 
Weh ah burn down ganja man tent 
And den ah come wid dem one bag ah tax argument 
When we can't pay light bill and rent 
Mi sight dem ah lead ghetto youths 
Every which part dem went 
And ah pure wrong corner dem bent 
So next time, dem pass thru you and your crew 
Don't give dem no encouragement 
A YO!! 
Just start run dem out 
And start bun dem out 
Ah your environment 
A YO!! 
We want know bout ah 
Every red cent out ah 
Poor people money dem spent 
And then 
We want know down who 
Pay di bills when the prime minister car dent 
And then 
We want know when dem ah come reposes 
All these guns and drugs they've sent