God Bless the Domestic Servant lyrics

God bless the domestic servant

Who travels far from her land

To Singapore or the Middle East

She comes to lend a hand

Working for minimal wages

Trying so hard to please

Caring for her master’s child

While her own she never sees

Living a life of sacrifice

To support the folks back home

Remitting her wages to aged parents

And an unemployed husband that she’s barely known

From Manila and Jakarta

From Solo and Cebu

You come and do the dirty work

That we refuse to do

Sometimes misused, accused, abused

Though many depend on you

You scrub and slop and dust and mop

To reach your distant goal

While your sister in Geylang or Wanchai

Sells her body and her soul

Making more in a night than you in a month

Playing that rock and roll

One day a week, if you’re lucky

You escape a while from your cares

And gather in public places

To disapproving stares

From people who think they are better than you

And can’t help putting on airs

In repetitious drudgery

You pass your youthful years

A willing smile you wear by day

But at night shed secret tears

As you make your bed on the kitchen floor

You can’t control their flowing

As you think of your loving but aging mother

And how your baby’s growing

So Asli and Adi and Mary-Ann

Maria and Wati and Joan

May you not feel the wrath of your lady’s sharp tongue

May your master leave you alone

Here’s to your health and I hope you’ll have wealth

When you finally return to your home

God bless the domestic servant

Who travels far from her land

To Singapore or the Middle East

She comes to lend a hand

Working for minimal wages

Trying so hard to please

Caring for her master’s child

While her own she never sees