Linton Kwesi Johnson Di Great Insohreckshan Lyrics

it woz in April nineteen eighty-wan
doun inna di ghetto af Brixtan
dat di babylan dem cause such a frickshan
an it bring about a great insohreckshan
an it spread all ovah di naeshan
it woz a truly an histarical okayjan

it woz event af di year
an I wish I ad been dere
wen wi run riot all ovah Brixtan
wen wi mash-up plenty police van
wen wi mash-up di wicked wan plan
wen wi mash-up di Swamp Eighty-wan
fi wha?
fi mek di rulah dem andahstan
dat wi naw tek noh more a dem oppreshan

an wen mi ckeck out
di ghetto grapevine
fi fine out all I coulda fine
evry rebel jussa revel in dem story
dem a taak bout di powah an di glory
dem a taak bout di burnin an di lootin
dem a taak bout smashin an di grabbin
dem a tell mi bout di vanquish an di victri

dem seh: di babylan dem went too far soh wha?
wi ad woz fi bun two kyar
an wan an two innocent ge mar
but wha?
noh soh it goh sometime inna war
een star
noh soh it goh sometime inna war

dem seh: win bun dung di George
wi coulda bin di lanlaad
wi bun dung di George
wi nevah bun di lanlaad
wen wi run riot all ovah Brixtan
wen wi mash-up plenty police van
wen wi mash-up di wicked wan plan
wen wi mash-up di Swamp Eighty-wan

dem seh: wi commandeer kyar
an wi ghaddah aminishan
wi buil wi barricade
an di wicked ketch afraid
wi sen out wi scout
fi goh fine dem whereabout
den wi faam-up wi passi
an wi mek wi raid

ow dem run gaan
goh plancountah-hackshan
but di plastic bullit
an di waatah canon
will bring a blam-blam
will bring a blam-blam
nevah mine Scarman
will bring a blam-blam