The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Killing us one by one
In one way or another
America will find a way to eliminate the problem
One by one
The problem is, the troublesome black youth of the ghettos
And one by one we are being wiped off the face of this earth
At an extremely alarming rate
And even more alarming is the fact
That we are not fighting back
Brothers, sistas, niggas
When I say "niggas" it is not the nigga we are grown to fear
It is not the nigga we say as if it has no meaning
But to me
It means, "Never Ignorant Getting Goals Acomplishes", nigga
Niggas what are we going to do?
Walk blind into a line or fight?
Fight and die if we must, die
Like niggas
This is for the masses, the lower classes
Ones you left out, jobs were givin', better livin'
But we were kept out
Made to feel inferior, but we're the superior
Break the chains in our brains that made us fear, yeah
Pledge allegiance to a flag that neglects us
Honor a man that refuses to respect us
Emancipation, proclamation, please
Nigga just said that to save the nation
These are lies that we all accepted
"Say no to drugs" but the governments' keep it
Running through our community, killing the unity
The war on drugs is a war on you and me
And yet they say this is the "Home of The Free"
But if you ask me its all about hypocrisy
The constitution, yo, it don't apply to me
And Lady Liberty s'til the bitch lied to me
This may be strong, nobody's gonna like what I pumpin'
But it's wrong to keeping someone from learning something
So get up, it's time to start nation building
I'm fed up, we gotta start teaching children
That they can be all that they want to to be
There's much more to life than just poverty
This is definitely, uh, words of wisdom
America, America
Amerikkka
I charge you with the crime of rape, murder, and assault
For suppressing and punishing my people
I charge you with robbery, for robbing me of my history
I charge you with false imprisonment for keeping me
Trapped in the projects
And the jury finds you guilty on all accounts
And you are to serve the consequences for your evil schemes
Prosecutor, do you have any more evidence?
Words of Wisdom
Based upon the strength of an nation
Conquer the enemy on with education
Protect ya self, reach for what you wanna do
Know thy self, teach 'bout what we been through
On with the knowledge of the place we've been
No one will ever oppress this race again
No Malcolm X in my history text, why is is that?
'Cause he tried to educate and liberate all blacks
Why is Martin Luther King in my book each week?
He told blacks, if they get smacked, turn the other cheek
I don't get it, so many questions went through my mind
I get sweated, they act as if asking question's a crime
But forget it, 'cause one day I'm gonna prove them wrong
Now every brother had to smother on the welfare line
The American Dream, though it seems like it attainable
They're pulling your sleeve, don't believe
'Cause it will strangle ya
Pulling the life of your brain, I can't explain
Make it so you can obtain from which you came
You swear to the Mother that you're living in equality
Forgetting your brother that's living here in poverty
Thought they had us beat when they took out King
But the battle ain't over 'til the black man sings
Words of Wisdom
The battle ain't over 'til the black man sings
Words of Wisdom
Nightmare that's what I am
America's nightmare
I am what you made me
The hate and evil that you gave me
I shine as a reminder of what you have done to my people
For four hundred plus years
You should be scared
You should be running
You should be trying to silence me
Ha
But you can not escape fate
For it is my turn to come
Just as you rose you shall fall
By my hands
America (tsk tsk)
You reap what you sow
2pacalypse, America's Nightmare
Ice Cube and Da Lench Mob, America's Nightmare
Above the Law, America's Nightmare
Paris, America's Nightmare
Public Enemy, America's Nightmare
Krs-one, America's Nightmare
New Afrikan Panthers, America's Nightmare
Mutulu Shakur, America's Nightmare
Geronimo Pratt, America's Nightmare
Assada Shakur, America's Nightmare
In one way or another
America will find a way to eliminate the problem
One by one
The problem is, the troublesome black youth of the ghettos
And one by one we are being wiped off the face of this earth
At an extremely alarming rate
And even more alarming is the fact
That we are not fighting back
Brothers, sistas, niggas
When I say "niggas" it is not the nigga we are grown to fear
It is not the nigga we say as if it has no meaning
But to me
It means, "Never Ignorant Getting Goals Acomplishes", nigga
Niggas what are we going to do?
Walk blind into a line or fight?
Fight and die if we must, die
Like niggas
This is for the masses, the lower classes
Ones you left out, jobs were givin', better livin'
But we were kept out
Made to feel inferior, but we're the superior
Break the chains in our brains that made us fear, yeah
Pledge allegiance to a flag that neglects us
Honor a man that refuses to respect us
Emancipation, proclamation, please
Nigga just said that to save the nation
These are lies that we all accepted
"Say no to drugs" but the governments' keep it
Running through our community, killing the unity
The war on drugs is a war on you and me
And yet they say this is the "Home of The Free"
But if you ask me its all about hypocrisy
The constitution, yo, it don't apply to me
And Lady Liberty s'til the bitch lied to me
This may be strong, nobody's gonna like what I pumpin'
But it's wrong to keeping someone from learning something
So get up, it's time to start nation building
I'm fed up, we gotta start teaching children
That they can be all that they want to to be
There's much more to life than just poverty
This is definitely, uh, words of wisdom
America, America
Amerikkka
I charge you with the crime of rape, murder, and assault
For suppressing and punishing my people
I charge you with robbery, for robbing me of my history
I charge you with false imprisonment for keeping me
Trapped in the projects
And the jury finds you guilty on all accounts
And you are to serve the consequences for your evil schemes
Prosecutor, do you have any more evidence?
Words of Wisdom
Based upon the strength of an nation
Conquer the enemy on with education
Protect ya self, reach for what you wanna do
Know thy self, teach 'bout what we been through
On with the knowledge of the place we've been
No one will ever oppress this race again
No Malcolm X in my history text, why is is that?
'Cause he tried to educate and liberate all blacks
Why is Martin Luther King in my book each week?
He told blacks, if they get smacked, turn the other cheek
I don't get it, so many questions went through my mind
I get sweated, they act as if asking question's a crime
But forget it, 'cause one day I'm gonna prove them wrong
Now every brother had to smother on the welfare line
The American Dream, though it seems like it attainable
They're pulling your sleeve, don't believe
'Cause it will strangle ya
Pulling the life of your brain, I can't explain
Make it so you can obtain from which you came
You swear to the Mother that you're living in equality
Forgetting your brother that's living here in poverty
Thought they had us beat when they took out King
But the battle ain't over 'til the black man sings
Words of Wisdom
The battle ain't over 'til the black man sings
Words of Wisdom
Nightmare that's what I am
America's nightmare
I am what you made me
The hate and evil that you gave me
I shine as a reminder of what you have done to my people
For four hundred plus years
You should be scared
You should be running
You should be trying to silence me
Ha
But you can not escape fate
For it is my turn to come
Just as you rose you shall fall
By my hands
America (tsk tsk)
You reap what you sow
2pacalypse, America's Nightmare
Ice Cube and Da Lench Mob, America's Nightmare
Above the Law, America's Nightmare
Paris, America's Nightmare
Public Enemy, America's Nightmare
Krs-one, America's Nightmare
New Afrikan Panthers, America's Nightmare
Mutulu Shakur, America's Nightmare
Geronimo Pratt, America's Nightmare
Assada Shakur, America's Nightmare
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
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