This is the cry of a people
Who were robbed and raped from their homeland
And their loved ones
A people stripped of their culture
Their dignity, their liberty and their rigths
And by the cruel and presumptuos
Hands of the colonial and imperialistics slavers
Were cargoed into the west
Where for over 400 years they have toiled and laboured
And with their blood, their sweat, them tears and hands
They have built the great city of Babylon
Only to be paid with the wages of the taskmaster’s
Whip
Torture and death
Oh yea yea! This is my history!
Oh yea yea yes! Oh!
We’ve been down in the valley much too long
We’ve been down in captivity oh so long
We’ve been down in humillity much too long
We’ve been down in slavery oh so long
But we’re gonna rise and shine!
And win our liberation
For now is the time
When all nations must be free
So rise and shine!
Restore your strength and power
Waste no more time
Remember your history
We’ve been down in a sufferation much too long
We’ve been down in a condemnation oh so long
We’ve been down in a segregation much too long
We’ve been down in humilliation oh so long
But we’re gonna rise!
As the morning sun that surrounds you
It’s international morality time
Where mankind must be born anew
So rise and shine!
For the sake of the younger generations
Putting hearts and minds
To brotherhood and unity
Oh yea yea yea yea yes!
Remember the slavemaster’s ship!
Remember the taskmaster’s whip!
Oh yea!
We’ve been down in the valley much too long
We’ve been down in captivity oh so long
We’ve been down in slavery much too long
We’ve been down in humillity oh so long
But we’re gonna rise and shine!
And win our liberation
For now is the time
When all nations must be free
Rise and shine!
Restore your strength and power
Waste no more time
Remember your history
Yes we’re gonna rise and shine!