Bob Marley War

What life has taught me
I would like to share with
Those who want to learn...

Until the philosophy which hold one race
Superior and another inferior
Is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned
Everywhere is war, me say war

That until there are no longer first class
And second class citizens of any nation
Until the colour of a man's skin
Is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes
Me say war

That until the basic human rights are equally
Guaranteed to all, without regard to race
Dis a war

That until that day
The dream of lasting peace, world citizenship
Rule of international morality
Will remain in but a fleeting illusion
To be persued, but never attained
Now everywhere is war, war

And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes
that hold our brothers in Angola, in Mozambique,
South Africa sub-human bondage
Have been toppled, utterly destroyed
Well, everywhere is war, me say war

War in the east, war in the west
War up north, war down south
War, war, rumours of war

And until that day, the African continent
Will not know peace, we Africans will fight
We find it necessary and we know we shall win
As we are confident in the victory

Of good over evil, good over evil, good over evil
Good over evil, good over evil, good over evil

Thanks to Kakariki for this clarification

The song War is derived from a speech made by Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I. Haile Selassie I gave the speech calling for world peace at the 1963 U.N. Conference in New York City. Marley uses part of Selassie’s speech that calls for equality among all without regard to race, class, or nationality in his hymnal cry for peace. In his song, Marley asserts that until the day of an equal society, there is war. Besides the lyrics Marley uses in the song, Selassie urged U.N. officials and country representatives to disarm nuclear weapons, and to end international exploitation (specifically with Africa) during his speech in 1963. In this song, Bob honors Haile Selassie I while calling for action against racial inequality and international injustice.