could a turned it down could a turned it on
could a burned it down could a dropped bombs
could a took arms could a sound the alarm
could a done harm but he chose to do right
a boy born politisized africans tribes
ba*tardized english springboks and meat pies
appartheid semantic split nap and straight hairs
tip your cap to the barefoot chap in cheap pairs
barefoot running black skin and thick jungle
there's a million ways to die even without the struggle
launch a youth league liberation on a reed
so thin plus the white men have all the proof they need
johannasburg freed but the ANC
target for a red scare communist bleed
political prisoner but it's not a long walk
to escape when your cell is only 6 feet across
one step is like a million when your wife has been tossed
into solitary cell like you married for loss
Robben island rob him island of a man
became a rock a whole nation stands
when they ask you to run you got to walk real slow
and when they ask you to walk you got to run fo sho
mandella my man mellow mandella
mandella my mellow my mellow my man