Part One: Rat A Cut Bottle

[Intro]
La, wa-la-woo, wa-la-woo
Wa-la, wa-la-woo (Yeah)

[Chorus]
Time get so hard that rat a cut bottle
Is a situation that the poor man cyaan tackle (Yeah)
Time get so tough, man cyaan even get work
It's a situation that the poor man cyaan handle (Lord)

[Verse 1]
The cost of living, said, it get so drastic
So mother cyaan even find penny
Fi send dem pickney go at market
The nickle get so scarce, you cyaan even get none
So instead of once a week every day for me [?] (Lord)

[Chorus]
Time get so hard that evеn rat a cut bottle (Lord)
It's a situation that the poor man cyaan tackle
Thе time get so tough, man cyaan even get work
It's a situation that the poor man cyaan handle

[Verse 2]
Whenever you go downtown, just take a look around
And check how much youth you see walkin' up and down (Yeah)
'Cause in yah dis yah time, when no job man cyaan find
If they are in need, say, they must commit a crime (Lord)
[Bridge]
Wa-la-woo, wa-la-woo
Wa-la, wa-la-woo

[Verse 3]
The cost of living, said, it get so drastic
So mother cyaan even find penny
Fi send dem pickney go at market (Lord)
Nickle get so scarce, you cyaan even get none
So instead of once a week every day for me [?] (Lord)

[Chorus]
Time get so hard that even rat a cut bottle (Lord)
It's a situation that the poor man cyaan tackle
The time get so tough, man cyaan even get one
It's a situation that the poor man cyaan handle

[Outro]
Never, never handle
No, never handle
A sufferation, yes, a sufferation

Part Two: Toast by Unknown Artist

[Intro]
Wa-la-woo, wa-la-woo (Hey now, so mi say)
Wa-la, wa-la-woo (Huh)
Time get so hard that rat a cut bottle (True-true)
It's a situation that the poor man cyaan tackle
Bam-biddly-beng
[Verse 1]
Say, time so hard that even rat a cut bottle
Time so hard that even rat a cut bottle
What a dread situation fi tackle
Man, a what a dread situation fi tackle
Say, mi cyaan get no food deh fi nimble (Pow)
Mi cyaan get no food deh fi nimble
Rich man check it so simple
Brr, Lord, a poor man take it ungrateful (You know?)
Say dat mi wake upon mi bed, I say, mi feel so sick
But-a when mi take a stop, mi said, I cyaan strike this
It just a twist mi like a cuccu macca stick
Brr, Lord, it just a twist mi like a cuccu macca stick

[Chorus]
For mi say time so hard that even rat a cut bottle
Time so hard that even rat a cut bottle
Said, a sufferation, a sufferation
An' mi say murderation (You know?)

[Verse 2]
For mi say, wicked man, a weh you are go run?
For mi say, wicked man, a weh you are go hide?
Because-a Jah Jah are go strike with di lighting an' thunder
Jah Jah are go strike with di lighting an' thunder
Jah are marshal, him no partial (Pow, hey)
Jah are marshal, him no partial
Because him higher than your general (Right, right)
Him higher than your general (Yeah)
For mi say whether you are woman or a whether you are man
You got to remember, say, you deh 'pon Jah Jah land
Bam-bam, upon di island, said-a bam-bam, on di island
'Cause, if mi take off mi tam, it are go bring a bam-bam
Mi take off mi tam, it are go bring a bam-bam
But-a sufferation upon di land
I tell you, said-a sufferation upon di land
[Bridge]
For mi no selfish in a your ways, pass it on
A Lord have mercy, hear mi say
So no-no selfish in a your ways, pass it on
An' let mi tell you 'bout di sound who leads di way
Brr, no matter weh you say, cah each and every day
You got to hear me say (Hey)

[Chorus]
Say, time so hard that even rat a cut bottle
Time so hard that even rat a cut bottle
What a dread situation fi tackle
Man, a what a dread situation fi tackle

[Outro]
Mi said it dread pon di nation (Hey, come on)
Mi said it dread pon di nation (Hey, come on)
A what a dread situation (Lord, come on)
A dis ya murderation, a murderation
A mi say sufferation (Hey)