[Verse 1]
This morning I woke up in a curfew
Oh God, I was a prisoner
Could not recognize the faces standing over me
They were all dressed in uniforms of brutality
How many rivers do we have to cross
Before we can talk to the boss?
All that we got, it seems we have lost
We must have really paid the cost

[Chorus 1]
Oh, we burnin' and a-lootin' tonight
Burnin' and a-lootin' tonight (One more time)
Burnin' all pollution tonight
Burnin' all illusion tonight (Oh, stop them!)

[Bridge]
Give me the food and let me grow
Let the Roots Man take a blow
All them drugs gonna make you slow now
It's not the music of the ghetto (Music of the ghetto)

[Chorus 2]
Weepin' and a-wailin' tonight
Weepin' and a-wailin' tonight (We've been suffering too long)
Weepin' and a-wailin' tonight (Will you say cheer?)
Weepin' and a-wailin' tonight (Yah yeah!)
[Bridge]
Give me the food and let me grow
Let the Roots Man take a blow
All them drugs gonna make you slow, you know
It's not the music of the ghetto (Music of the ghetto)

[Chorus 1]
Burnin' and a-lootin' tonight
Burning all pollution tonight
Burnin' and a-lootin' tonight
Burning all illusion tonight (Lord-a, Lord-a, Lord-a, Lord!)
Burning all pollution tonight
Burning all illusion tonight

[Outro]
We've been suffering too long
We've been, we've been, we've been suffering too long