Ey!
This morning I woke up in a curfew
Oh God, I was a prisoner, too
Could not recognize the faces standing over me
All dressed in uniforms of brutality

How many rivers do we have to cross
Before we can talk to the boss?
I'm saying, all we got, it seems we have lost
We must have really paid the cost

That's why we gonna be burnin' and a-lootin' tonight
We're burnin' and a-lootin' tonight
Burnin' all pollution tonight
Oh, we're burnin' all illusion tonight

Ey!
Oh, give me the food and let me grow
Let the Roots Man take the gold
I say, 'cause all them drugs gonna make you slow, now
It's not the music from the ghetto

Eh!
Weeping and a-wailin' tonight
Weeping and a-wailin' tonight, lord, lord, lord, lord
Eh! (weeping and a-wailin' tonight)
Oh, (weeping and a-wailin' tonight) yeah!

How many rivers
How many rivers
Do we have to cross?
Talk to the boss
And one more, if all we got, we have lost
What I mean yeah, we must have really paid the cost

That's why we gonna be (burnin' and a-lootin' tonight)
Burning and a-lootin'
(Burnin' and a-lootin' tonight) lord, oh, lord, oh, lord, oh, lord
Burnin' all pollution tonight
(Burnin' all illusion tonight) eh!
(Weeping and a-wailin' tonight)
(Weeping and a-wailin' tonight) lord, oh, lord, oh, lord, oh, lord
(Weeping and a-wailin' tonight) who can stop the tears tonight?
(Weeping and a-wailin' tonight) so, pretty no, no tears tonight, eh!


Lyrics submitted by spliphstar

Burnin' & Lootin' Lyrics as written by Bob Marley

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Burnin' And Lootin' song meanings
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5 Comments

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  • +1
    Song Meaning

    Preaty much the last post are correct, it show the suffering of a looter in Jamaica that has woken up in jail and reminisces about shit he did, he pledges to looting and burning for freedom. And the movie "La Haine" is pretty much a perspective on the track, its a French movie but subtitles help, it shows weed and looting just like the track.

    solorzanofelipeon February 26, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this is an amazing song that shows the abuse and suffering of the people in the ghetto in jamaican

    computerenemyon August 11, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    My favorite song from The Wailers, the starting song of the movie "La Haine"

    untelixon June 12, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    South Afrikan animal's anthem as they destroy their own infrastructure and supply-lines for their Marxist overlords due to poor impulse control.

    NomadMonadon July 26, 2021   Link
  • -1
    General Comment

    Give me the food and let me grow; Let the Roots Man take a blow. All them drugs gonna make you slow now; It's not the music of the ghetto. Eh! wow that is all about weed. he wouldve had such a bteer image if he ditn smoke so much grass

    bobmarley4everrron April 10, 2008   Link

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