Good Citizen [Song]


Uploaded by cool4rocknroll

GOOD CITIZEN
Performed by The Mighty Sparrow
Album: Many Moods Of Sparrow, 1967.

When does someone really become a good citizen?
I’d like to know for sure.
Why when the ordinary man disagrees with the establishment
They call it treason?
Why should they persecute a brother for seeking black power?
Don’t they know a blind man could see that this is blatant hypocrisy,
The real traitors and them are all high in society.
Yet the government protecting all ah dem and penalizing you and me.

And in a million different ways they violate the law
It’s the same good, no good bastards who oppress the poor
They selling black market, making excess profit, paying a starvation salary.
These good citizens are the architects of economic slavery.

They say you have the right to criticize but then you are victimized,
And without any reason, many a time you find yourself
Politically paralysed by that same good citizen.
Yet these fakes and phonies enjoy a long life of luxury
While they spread corruption throughout the country.
When they should be arrested,
They’re protected and respected in the society.

And in a million different ways they violate the law.
It’s the same good, no good bastards who oppress the poor
With their false declaration, tax evasion, defrauding customs duty.
These good citizens are the architects of economic slavery.

In lust, in greed, in fraud, in strife they specialize
Double deals, double deals they idolize.
If you brave enough to open your mouth and criticize,
One time you are ostracized and or victimized.
Still they go unpunished and unaccused of any crime,
While on the backs of the ordinary man these vultures climb.
They use their riches and their power, make a mockery of the law
And have the law protect them same time.

And in a million different ways they violate the law
It's the same good, no good bastards who oppress the poor
They controlling bootlegging, dope peddling, prostitution and piracy.
These good citizens are the architects of economic slavery.

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance! ..............................................................................................................................
"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Where can I find this song? I've been listerally trying to find it for years, heard it once on the radio and still remember the lyrics and it's strong song too!

Thanks, Dewane Van Leuven
Santa Clara, CA USA

Guanaguanare said...

Thanks for visiting, Dewane. Yes, "Good Citizen" is a wonderful, wonderful work that is included among the calypso classics.

About acquiring it, you can buy this song from many of those music download services or you can buy the album "Mighty Sparrow Volume Two" from online or other music stores.

If you want to listen to it online, you should visit Irwin Chusid's "Muriel's Treasure: Calypso and Soca" which has the playlists and files from his radio programme. You will find it on this page in particular, which is the playlist for the January 17, 2007 show. Just scroll down the page. The Mighty Sparrow's "Good Citizen" is the fourth song from the bottom of the playlist.

Thanks for bringing it to mind with your question about this song. I plan to listen to it later. Enjoy!
Blessings