Well Martin's dream has become Rodney's worst nightmare
Can't walk the streets, to them we are fair game
Our lives don't mean a thing
Like a King, like a King, like a King
Rodney King, Rodney King, Rodney King
Like a king, like a King, like a King
How I wish you could help us Dr. King
Make sure it's filmed, shown on national T.V
They'll have no mercy
A legal lynch mob like the days strung up from the tree
The L.A.P.D
Like a King, like a King, like a King
Rodney King, Rodney King, Rodney King
Like a King, like a King, like a King
How I wish you could help us Dr. King
So if you catch yourself thinking it has changed
For the best you better second guess cause Martin's dream
Has become Rodney's worst nightmare
Like a King, like a King, like a King
Rodney King, Rodney King, Rodney King
Like a King, like a King, like a King
How I wish you could help us Dr. King
Like a King, like a King, like a King
Like a King, like a King, like a King
Like a King, like a King, like a King
How I wish... Like a King, like a King
Like a King, like a King, like a, like a King
Like a King, like a King, like a King
When we will look to the past, look to the past to learn?
I wish...
Like a king, like a king, like a king
Like a king, like a king, like a king
Bye, bye we must go to see the King
Bye, bye we must go to face the King
You may write me down in history with your bitter twisted lies
You may trod me down in the very dirt
And still like the dust, I'll rise
Does my happiness upset you?
Why are you best with gloom cause I laugh
Like I've got an oil well pumpin' in my living room?
So you may shoot me with your words
You may cut me with your eyes
And I'll rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise
Out of the shacks of history's shame
Up from a past rooted in pain
And I'll rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise
Now did you want to see me broken
Bowed head and lowered eyes
Shoulders fallen down like teardrops
Weakened by my soulful cries
Does my confidence upset you?
Don't you take it awful hard cause I walk
Like I've got a diamond mine breakin' up in my front yard
So you may shoot me with your words
You may cut me with your eyes
And I'll rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise
Out of the shacks of history's shame
Up from a past rooted in pain
And I'll rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise
So you may write me down in history with your bitter twisted lies
You may trod me down in the very dirt
And still like the dust, I'll rise
Does my happiness upset you?
Why are you best with gloom cause I laugh
Like I've got a goldmine diggin' up in my living room
You may shoot me with your words
You may cut me with your eyes
And I'll rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise
Out of the shacks of history's shame
Up from a past rooted in pain
And I'll rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise
You may shoot me with your words
You may cut me with your eyes
And I'll rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise
Out of the shacks of history's shame
Up from a past rooted in pain
I'll rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise
I gonna rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise
I'll rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise