Sun of fire on the Red sea.
No wave, nothing moves
On the sea, an old freighter
Going all the way to Borneo
And, in the hold, a negro cries,
A poor negro, a skinny negro,
A skinny negro who's bones
Seem to try to peirce the skin.
"Oh yo... Oh yo...
Mister Dear God, it's not nice.
Me not want leave country
Me want see the big boat
That spits fire and walks on water
And, on the bridge, me I slept.
So boat it left
And captain sait like that:
"Negro with the coal he'll work"
Mister Dear God, it's not nice.
Me not want leave country
Oh yo... Oh yo..."
Always farther around the world,
The old freighter keeps going.
The world is big... Always ports
Always farther... Still ports...
And, in the hold, a negro cries,
A poor negro, a skinny negro,
A skinny negro who's bones
Seem to try to peirce the skin.
"Oh yo... Oh yo...
Mister Dear God, it's not nice.
Now made him lose country
My country, very far on water.
And me work at bottom boat.
Always here like in hell,
Never see sea dancing again,
Never see big blue sky again
And poor negro unhappy.
Mister Dear God, it's not nice.
Me not want leave country
Oh yo... Oh yo..."
At the end of the sky, on the calm sea,
In the clear night, he sees palms,
So he yells: "It's my country !"
And in the sea he jumped
And in the wave a negro sings,
A poor negro, a skinny negro,
A skinny negro who's bones
Seem to try to peirce the skin.
Oh yo... Oh yo...
Mister Dear God, you so nice,
Bring me back to my country.
But come Dear God... Come save me,
Me can not swim forever.
Country too far to get there
And poor negro tired.
That's it... Finished !... Mister Dear God !...
Goodbye country... Goodbye everyone
Mister Dear God, it's not nice.
Me not want leave country
Oh yo... Oh yo...