Johnny Clegg & Savuka - Third World Child lyrics

rate me

Bits of songs and broken drums

Are all he could recall

So he spoke to me

In a bastard tongue

Carried on the silence of the guns

It's been a long long time

since they first came

And marched through the village

They taught me to forget my past

And live the future in their image

They said I should

Learn to speak a little bit of English

Don't be scared of a suit and tie.

Learn to walk in the dreams of the foreigner

I am a Third World Child

The Outworld's dreams are the currency

That grip the city streets

I live them out

But I have my own

Hidden somewhere deep inside of me

In between my father's fields

And the citadels of the rule

Lies a no-man's-land which I must cross

To find my stolen jewel.

They said I should

Learn to speak a little bit of English

Maybe practise birth control

Keep away from controversial politics

So to save my third world soul

You should speak a little bit of English

Don't be scared of a suit and tie.

Learn to walk in the dreams of the foreigner

I am a Third World Child

Wo! Ilanga lobunzima

Nalo liyashona

Ukuthini asazi

Wo! Ilanga lobunzima

Mus' ukukhala

Mntanami

(Oh! We don't know when this Sun of Hardship will set.

Don't cry, my child.)

Wo! Ilanga lobunzima

Nalo liyashona

Ukuthini asazi

Bits of songs and broken drums

Are all he could recall

But the future calls his name out loud

Carried on the violence of the guns

I can speak a little bit of English

I am the seed that has survived

I am the fire that has been woken!

I am a Third World Child*

I can speak a little bit of English

I am the seed that has survived

I am the fire that has been woken!

I am a Third World Child

I can speak a little bit of English

I am the seed that has survived

I am the fire that has been woken!

I am a Third World Child

I can speak a little bit of English

I am the seed that has survived

I am the fire that has been woken!

I am a Third World Child

[fade out]

Thanks to KiwiSong for these lyrics