The Slave

[Verse 1]
I'm a slave from a land so far
I was caught
And I was brought here from Africa
I'm a slave from a land so far
I was caught
And I was brought here from Africa
Well it was licks like fire
From de white slavemaster
Everyday I down on knees
Weeks and weeks before we cross de seas
To reach in de West Indies

[Chorus]
And den they make me work
Oh yes ah work
Good lord no pay
Ah toil, ah toil
Ah toil, ah toil
So hard each day
I'm dying...
Yeah I'm crying...
Oh...
Oh Lord, I wanna be free!

[Verse 2]
Many times ah wanted to run
But de English slave master
Standing dey wit de gun
Oh I know he going to shoot to kill
So ah stay, ah stay and ah pray
But ah planning still
I study night and day how to break away
Ah got to make a brilliant escapе
But everytime ah tink 'bout dе whip an' dem dogs
Meh body does start to shake

[Chorus]
Because dey made me work
Oh yes ah work
Oh good lord no pay
And den ah toil, ah toil
Ah toil, ah toil
So hard each day
I'm dying...
I'm crying...
Oh...
Oh Lord, I wanna be free!

[Verse 3]
In my heart, there was much to say
Ah always hope de boss
Woulda listen to me some day
Although he knew
My request was small
It was de sting ah the whip there
To answer me when ah call
We had to chant and sing to express our feelings
To dat wicked and cruel man
That was the only medicine to make him listen
And is so calypso began

[Chorus]
Oh when dey make you work
Oh Lord you work
Good lord no pay
And den you toil and toil
And toil and toil
So hard each day
I'm dying...
Yeah, oh Lord I'm crying...
Oh...
Oh Lord, I wanna be free!

[Verse 4]
Times have changed in so many ways
Till one day somebody said
"Free de bloody slaves"
I was then put out on the street
Ah got no food, got no clothes
And no place to sleep
I had no education
And no particular ambition
This I cannot conceal
Forgot my native culture
Ah lived like a vulture
From de white boss ah had to steal

[Chorus]
He made me work
Oh yes ah work
Oh Lord no pay
Yeah yeah yeah ah toil and toil
And toil and toil
So hard each day
I'm dying...
Oh I'm crying, oh dying...
Oh...
Oh Lord, Lord I wanna be free!