This morning I woke up in a curfew
O God, I was a prisoner, too - yeah!
Could not recognize the faces standing over me
They were all dressed in uniforms of brutality. Eh!

How many rivers do we have to cross
Before we can talk to the boss? Eh!
All that we got, it seems we have lost
We must have really paid the cost

(That's why we gonna be)
Burnin' and a-lootin' tonight
(Say we gonna burn and loot)
Burnin' and a-lootin' tonight
(One more thing)
Burnin' all pollution tonight
(Oh, yeah, yeah)
Burnin' all illusion tonight

Oh, stop them!

Give me the food and let me grow
Let the Roots Man take a blow
All them drugs gonna make you slow now
It's not the music of the ghetto. Eh!

Weepin' and a-wailin' tonight
(Ooh, can't stop the tears!)
Weepin' and a-wailin' tonight
(We've been suffering these long, long-a years)
Weepin' and a-wailin' tonight
(Will you say cheer?)
Weepin' and a-wailin' tonight
(But where?)

Give me the food and let me grow
Let the roots man take a blow
All them drugs gonna make you slow
It's not the music of the ghetto
We gonna be burnin' and a-lootin' tonight
(To survive, yeah!)
Burnin' and a-lootin' tonight
(Save your babies' lives)
Burning all pollution tonight
(Pollution ... )
Burning all illusion tonight
(Lord-a, Lord-a, Lord-a, Lord!)

Burning and a-looting tonight
Burning and a-looting tonight
Burning all pollution tonight