This song is Sparrow’s address Ayatollah Khomeini, exhorting him to change his ways and liberalize Iran.
In the early 1960’s, Ayatollah Khomeini spoke out against the Shah regime’s Westernization of Iran. The Shah had him arrested and later exiled.
Throughout the 1970’s, discontent and protests ag...
[Verse 1]
From outta exile
You come back in style
To chase away the Shah
And you seize power
Then set up a firing squad
Shooting people like you mad
Shah was real horrible
But you much more wicked and terrible
[Chorus]
Ayatollah, what you [?]?
You goin' to hang all dead in jail?
And hostages that you take
That is a serious and a crucial mistake
Ayatollah, hide your trail
You've a tiger by the tail
Sooner or later gets untied
I am satisfied
There'll be no place on earth you can hide
[Verse 2]
You ban everything
Pеople enjoyin'
No more rum drinkin'
No morе love makin'
Young people don't like old-fashioned
So they want to go modern
But that you get upset
And the only punishment you know is death
[Chorus]
Ayatollah, what you [?]?
You goin' to hang all dead in jail?
And hostages that you take
That is a serious and a crucial mistake
Ayatollah, hide your trail
You've a tiger by the tail
Sooner or later gets untied
I am satisfied
There'll be no place on earth you can hide
[Verse 3]
Twenty-three billion
You want in yuh hand
But Ronald Reagan
Is a stubborn man
He see you as a barbarian
Takin' hostage for ransom
Don't care what scheme you contrive
Ronald Reagan will skin you alive
[Chorus]
Ayatollah, what you [?]?
You goin' to hang all dead in jail?
And hostages that you take
Is a serious and a crucial mistake
Ayatollah, hide your trail
You've a tiger by the tail
Sooner or later gets untied
I am satisfied
There'll be no place on earth you can hide
[Verse 4]
When man ain't have wife
He can't enjoy life
Without a sweetheart
Happiness can't start
Get some little Ayatollahs
Little [?]
With twelve of them in yuh yard
You bound to learn how to love and stop actin' mad!
[Chorus]
Ayatollah, what you [?]?
You goin' to hang all dead in jail?
Them hostages that you take
Is a serious and a crucial mistake
Ayatollah, hide your trail
You've a tiger by the tail
Sooner or later gets untied
I am satisfied
There'll be no place on earth you could hide
Ayatolah was written by Mighty Sparrow.
Mighty Sparrow released Ayatolah on Thu Jan 01 1981.