I Was A King

(album: Love's Alright - 1993)

World-ah right up
Painted across the sky
Black man, first Kings.
Black Woman, the first Queen
Eddie Murphy sing and Shabba chant, Scene.

I was, I was a king
You brought I to your land in chains
You forced I to work by the rod
You taught I to worship your God
You stripped I to the bone
You raped I, took my soul
Abused I, records show
You bought and you sold and you killed I
Your blood was cold, disgraced I
Why do you hate I why do you hate I why do you
I was, I was a king

A little?
White nation black nation who's the? Caribbean?
Wise up wise up my brother wise up
Rise up rise up my nation rise up
Wise up wise up my sister wise up
Get-up an' up Eddie says wise up
Get-up an' up Shabba says wise up

I was, I was the first
Of all man to walk on this earth
You're from I or did you forget
Your father deserves some respect
You use I to the bone
You hurt I, took my soul
You cheat I, records show
Your nation was built on my sweat why
Why do you hate I why do you hate I
Why do you hate I why do you
I was, I was a king
Look at me now
Lift every voice and sing
'Till love in heaven, yeah
Ring in harmony
O-oh, please

Wise up wise up my brother wise up
Wise up wise up my sister wise up
Rise up rise up my nation rise up
Stop fight stop fuss that only kill us
We stop hear religion that try to fool us
We buy? Any system? that try to school us
Get up?
Wise up wise up my brother wise up
Shabba Rank him say wise up
Wise up wise up my sister wise up-a
Eddie Murphy say wise up
This is the time that we all stand up
Malcolm X try to let us wise up
Fought to see the conscious and pay the cost
Martin Luther try to let us wise up
Fought to see the conscious and pay the cost
Each one teach us not to kill us
This-a tell-a that one not to hurt us?

Stop your fighting stop all your fuss
Find you conscious you must an' up
Rise up rise up one nation rise up-a