Johnny Clegg - Orphans Of The Empire lyrics

In ships they came from Europe, across the salt sea Come for the build and raise a colony And in the jungle green their citadels did gleam In tribute and homage to the old country And soon their children grew and promised to be true Orphans of an Empire their destiny Chorus: Hold me close Africa Fill my soul Africa Let me grow old, Africa Let me in Fill my soul Africa Don't let me go, Africa Let me grow old, Africa And remember me Imperial gentleman, he built mighty walls And in the jungle atternoon he plays polo when he's bored He sips a gin and tonic and tells you confidentially He wishes he understood the indiginies But the shadows they are lengthening and the sun it must set Bewildered and confused he scurries home to his bed Chorus He cannot understand the soldiers all at hand For with guns you cannot fight a foe that dwells within But the batlle had begun and a soldier he's become Who can sing his litany? It's a beggarman's prayer or a string on the wind Will that be all that lingers on the memory? And who will remember that African December? When he knelt before the colors and swore to do or die? And he kissed his frightened lover, beneath the glowing embers Of that dark, strange heaven, that ancient sky Now he's gone to dust, just like all good soldiers must But the mournful mutter of the battlefield still lingers in the air So it's farewell sweet Caroline, farewell Elizabeth Goodbye gentle ladies of the old order And farewell to your islands carved upon this continent Some England, some France and some Germany Soon you will return to that dream across the sea Cause here is no more honey left for tea Chorus