This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Way hey and a way we go donkey riding donkey riding,
Way hey and away we go riding on a donkey.
Was you ever in Quebec launching timber on the deck ,where ya
Break a bleeding neck riding on a donkey.
Way hey and a way we go donkey riding donkey riding,
Way hey and away we go riding on a donkey.
Was you ever round Cape Horn where the weathers never warm,
Wish to god you'd never been born riding on a donkey.
Way hey and away we go donkey riding donkey riding,
Way hey and away we go riding on a donkey.
Was you ever in Miramichi where they you tie up to a tree,
Have a girl sit on your knee riding on a donkey.
Way hey and a way we go donkey riding donkey riding,
Way hey and away we go riding on a donkey.
Was you ever in Fortune Bay hear the girls all shout hurray,here
Comes dad with dead months pay riding on a donkey.
Way hey and a way we go donkey riding donkey riding,
Way hey and away we go riding on a donkey.
Was you ever in Fredericton seeing the king he does come down,
See the king in his golden crown riding on a donkey.
Way hey and a way we go donkey riding donkey riding,
Way hey and away we go riding on a donkey.
Way hey and a way we go donkey riding donkey riding,
Way hey and away we go riding on a donkey.
Way hey and away we go riding on a donkey.
Was you ever in Quebec launching timber on the deck ,where ya
Break a bleeding neck riding on a donkey.
Way hey and a way we go donkey riding donkey riding,
Way hey and away we go riding on a donkey.
Was you ever round Cape Horn where the weathers never warm,
Wish to god you'd never been born riding on a donkey.
Way hey and away we go donkey riding donkey riding,
Way hey and away we go riding on a donkey.
Was you ever in Miramichi where they you tie up to a tree,
Have a girl sit on your knee riding on a donkey.
Way hey and a way we go donkey riding donkey riding,
Way hey and away we go riding on a donkey.
Was you ever in Fortune Bay hear the girls all shout hurray,here
Comes dad with dead months pay riding on a donkey.
Way hey and a way we go donkey riding donkey riding,
Way hey and away we go riding on a donkey.
Was you ever in Fredericton seeing the king he does come down,
See the king in his golden crown riding on a donkey.
Way hey and a way we go donkey riding donkey riding,
Way hey and away we go riding on a donkey.
Way hey and a way we go donkey riding donkey riding,
Way hey and away we go riding on a donkey.
Lyrics submitted by MyAntiDrugIsSuicide
Donkey Riding Lyrics as written by Collected By Thomas Wood
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The song is about the sailors who used a donkey engine to load and unload logs on a ship. A donkey engine is a single-cylinder steam engine. The song was usually sung while loading the ships in Quebec and Miramichi . en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_donkey