Get Up, Stand Up

Bob Marley and the Wailers

Ey, get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight!
Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight!

Preacher man, don't tell me
Heaven is under the earth
I know you don't know
What life is really worth
It's not all that glitters is gold
Half the story has never been told
And now you see the light
You stand up for your rights

Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight!
Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight!

You see, most people think
Great God will come from the sky
Take away everything
And make everybody feel high
But if you know what life is worth
You would look for yours on earth
And now you see the light
You stand up for your rights

Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight!
Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight!

We sick an' tired of your 'ism-schism game
Dyin', goin' to heaven in-a Jesus' name, Lord
We know when we understand
Almighty God is a living man
You can fool some people sometimes
But you couldn't fool all the people all the time
And now we see the light
You stand up for your rights!

Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight!
Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight!
Don't give up the fight
Don't give up the fight
Don't give up the fight
Don't give up the fight
Don't give up the fight
Don't give up the fight
Don't give up the fight
Don't give up the fight

Don't give up the fight
Don't give up the fight
Don't give up the fight
Don't give up the fight

I say now (don't give up the fight) whooa-oh, ooh-oh
Whooa-oh, ooh-oh
Whooa-oh, ooh-oh
Whooa-oh, ooh-oh

Oh, yo-yo-yo (oh, yo-yo-yo)
Oh, yo-yo-yo (oh, yo-yo-yo)
Oh, yo (oh, yo)
Oh, yo (oh, yo)
Oh, yo-yo-yo (oh, yo-yo-yo)
Oh, yo-yo-yo (oh, yo-yo-yo)
Ethiopia (Ethiopia)
Yo-o (yo-o)
Yo, Jah-Jah (yo Jah-Jah)
Yo-o (yo-o)
Yo, Jah-Jah (yo Jah-Jah)
So we won't give up the fight
So we won't give up the fight
So we won't give up the fight
So we won't give up the fight
So we won't give up the fight
So we won't give up the fight
So we won't give up the fight
So we won't give up the fight
I said now, whoa-a (whoa-a)
Whoa-a (whoa-a)
Oh, yo-yo-yo (oh, yo-yo-yo)
Oh, yo-yo-yo (oh, yo-yo-yo)
So we won't give up the fight
So we won't give up the fight
So we won't give up the fight
So we won't give up the fight

You see, most people think
Great God will come from the sky
Take away everything
Make everybody feel high
But if you know what life is worth
You would look for yours on earth
And now you see the light
You stand up for your rights

Oh, yo (oh, yo)
Oh, yo-yo-yo (oh, yo-yo-yo)
Oh, yo (oh, yo)
Oh, yo-yo-yo (oh, yo-yo-yo)

Stand up for your rights!
Stand up for your rights!
Stand up for your rights!
Stand up for your rights!
Stand up for your rights!
Stand up for your rights!
Stand up for your rights!
Stand up for your rights!
Stand up for your rights!
Stand up for your rights!
Stand up for your rights!


Lyrics submitted by alitoc

Get Up, Stand Up [Live At The Lyceum, London/1975] Lyrics as written by Peter Tosh Bob Marley

Lyrics © Royalty Network

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Get Up, Stand Up song meanings
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47 Comments

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  • +2
    General CommentThis song is certainly NOT about cannabis. The stuff is never mentioned anywhere in the lyrics.

    It's about religious hypocrisy. The lyricist holds the opinion that religion should bind people together, enable them to live in peace together. Instead, he observes, people argue about the "correct" way to believe ("isms") and end up separated instead of united in love of God ("schisms").

    The song also tells people that they should not stay passively waiting for divine intervention if they want to better their lives. And they should not have to wait for the afterlife either. God is not going to "take away everything, and make everybody feel high" - take away all the pain and problems, provide bliss for each of us. God in the mind of this lyricist is "a living man" and he requires us to take action ourselves. We should not let ourselves be talked down to in church. No. "Stand up for your right!".

    We all know that Marley was a deeply religious person. But this song is refreshingly anti-religious if you ask me. I also like to think that Jesus would certainly approve of it. He had some problems of his own with religious authorities and dogma in his time.
    Betenoireon June 09, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General CommentThis song, is GREAT. "But if you know what life is worth
    You would look for yours on earth " thats like the story of my life. and "You can fool some people sometimes
    But you can't fool all the people all the time "
    i wish everyone saw life they way me and bob do. stop with all this jesus crap and worrying about hevan and hell. we were not put on this earth to worry about death. we were put here to worry about life. to live it the best way we know how. preach it, bob.
    silverpuppiezon April 13, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Commentand i almost forgot: Bob Marley was not only fighting for ganja legalisation, you foolish persons. you listen to him just 'cause you like ganja. well, his music is much more deeper than you think!!
    free worldon April 15, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General CommentDidja know that Bob Marley became a Christian just a few months before his death? He basically announced that Selassie was not the inspiration for his lyrics, the God of the Bible was.
    beau99on December 08, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Commentoh ya, and Changes, Marcus Garvey did not thing the white man's god was the devil! jah is the same god as christans god! they just have a different name for it!

    Marcus garvey was the person who prophesised the crowning of a king in ethiopa named Hailie Salasie I Spelling? otherwise reffered to as H.I.M
    They beleived that H.I.M was infact god in the flesh.

    Bob Marley's Song war is the exact words of H.I.M
    BobMarleyfan90on June 15, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Commentwhat about all the humans alive before jesus christ?what chance did they have man???????
    GBon February 12, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI don't mean to sound arrogant or anything but there is alot of igonorance on this board. But Marley was not a Christain, Bob Marley was a Rastafarian. The Rastafarian 'religon' or should I say 'way of life' was a collection of ideologies of the radical African philosopher Marcus Garvey . Marcus Garvey believed that the white mans god was the devil and that the black mans god, Jah, was the one true god.

    The whole god being a man lyrics is reffering to Haille Selassie, otherwise known as Ras Tafari Makonnen, who become king of Ethiopia, their 'promised land', in 1930. They believe that he was the messiah, and that he died because of sin not for sin as Jesus Christ did. My friends it cames down to this, we can't pick and choose who God is, God is who he is, truth is not relative. You can live your whole life thinking this but I urge you to grow in the knowledge of your Lord and Savior--"From there you will seek the Lord your God, and You will find Him when you seek Him with all your heart and all your soul" (Deutoronomy 4:29). Apart from seeking with all your heart and soul you will not find Him...the written words were ment for you reflection!
    Changeson June 19, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General CommentFor an explenation of the spiritual message of this song, check out
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…
    Ddaduttaon December 24, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Commentyah we all know bob marley (along with almost every other musician) smoked weed. But your really disrespecting Marley's work and his meanings when you keep on referring every song of his to Pot, the man was a phylosopher and gave more meaning than most musicians ever will. No song of his can be taken one way or another thats the beauty of it. To me this song is about the hypocricies of religion and how people would do anything to get into "heaven" (you have your terrorists who would kill thousands of people to get there). They dont realize that religion plain and simply is about "living".
    daeldrenon March 27, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General CommentMarijuana is a beautiful natural tool which does nothing but enhance the mind. No complications, don't listen to those DARE drones who just tell you what they are told to tell by those who are told to tell it to them too. Read that over again if you need some more figuring out. I know what I am talking about, don't you anti-pot people be bitching to me "wake up and look at the facts." I have. Now why don't you guys do some research and find out things without them being told to you. soooo...

    I partly agree with this song. I believe in the afterlife and stuff, but I DO NOT think we should all make ourselves go through hell to get to heaven. Yeah, there's tough times, but don't force more on yourself. Is he saying that he doesn't believe the stuff about jesus coming as a real person? or what?
    AeroLed286on April 14, 2003   Link

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