And this one goes out to the World Bank and the leaders of the west

Kaliti Goddam

The name of this tune is Kaliti goddam
And I mean every word of it

Addis Aba’s gotten me so upset
Dedessa made me lose my rest
And everybody knows about Kaliti goddam

Addis Aba’s gotten me so upset
Dedessa made me lose my rest
And everybody knows about Kaliti goddam

Can’t you see it
Can’t you feel it
It’s all in the air
I can’t stand the pressure much longer
Somebody say a prayer

Addis Aba’s gotten me so upset
Dedessa made me lose my rest
And everybody knows about Kaliti goddam
This is a show tune
But the show hasn’t been written for it, yet

Soldier boys on my trail
School children sitting in jail
Hyena cross my path
I think every day’s gonna be my last

Lord have mercy on this land of mine
We all gonna get it in due time
I don’t belong here
I don’t belong there
I’ve even stopped believing in prayer

Don’t tell me
I tell you
Me and my people just about due
I’ve been there so I know
The rest keep on saying go slow!

But that’s just the trouble
Do it slow
Washing the streets free of blood
Do it slow
Weaving the cotton
Do it slow
You’re just plain rotten
Do it slow
You’re too damn lazy
Do it slow
The thinking’s crazy
Do it slow

Where am I going
What am I doing
I don’t know
I don’t know
Just try to do your very best
Stand up be counted with all the rest
For everybody knows about Kaliti goddam

I made you thought I was kiddin’ didn’t we
Packet of lies
Media cops
They try to say its an opposition plot

All I want is freedom
For my sister my brother my people and me

Yes you lied to me all these years
You told me to watch and learn from you, dears
And talk real fine just like a statesman
And you’d stop calling me a hungry poor man

Oh but this whole country is full of lies
You’re all gonna die and die like flies

I don’t trust you any more
You keep on saying go slow!

Go slow!
But that’s just the trouble
Do it slow
Democratisation
Do it slow
Mass participation
Do it slow
Cooperation
Do it slow
Do things gradually
Do it slow
But bring more tragedy
Do it slow

Why don’t you see it
Why don’t you feel it
I don’t know
I don’t know

You don’t have to live next to me
Just give me my equality

Everybody knows about Kaliti
Everybody knows about Addis Ababa
Everybody knows about Kaliti goddam

That’s it!

(Original “Mississippi Godamm” (1963) as sung by Nina Simone, accessed on www.lyricsfreak.com/n/nina+simone)