Revolution – English Lyrics

• By: Dennis Brown
• Album: Reggae Anthology: Dennis Brown: Crown Prince of Reggae

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the power of reggae and the spirit of Jamaica through Dennis Brown's timeless classic, "Revolution." This song is more than just music; it's a history lesson and a call for social justice. By listening to its clear and potent lyrics, you can learn vocabulary related to social change and a deeper understanding of the Rastafarian principles of love and unity. "Revolution" is a special song because it captures the resilient spirit of a people facing hardship and offers a universal message of hope and the power of collective action.

[English]

Do you know what it means to have a revolution

And what it takes to make a solution

Fighting against oppression

Battering down depression

Are you ready to stand up and fight the right revolution

Are you ready to stand up and fight it just like soldiers

Many are called, few are chosen

Many are called, few are chosen

Got to fight the right fight in this time, yeah

Are you ready to stand up and fight the right revolution

Are you ready to stand up and fight it just like soldiers

Many are called, few are chosen

Many are called, few are chosen

If you wanna live-a, live-a, live-a, live-a, live, live forever

You gotta love-a, love-a, love-a, love-a, love, love each other

Say you gotta live, live, live, live on, live on forever, yeah

And love, love, love, love, love, love one another

Got to fight the right fight in this time

Living and loving and sharing and caring

A man is paid according to his work

Say we gotta live-a, live-a, live, live, live, live on forever

Love, love, love, love, love, love each other

We gotta live, live, live, live on, live on forever

And love, love, love, love, love one and other

Living and loving and sharing and caring, yeah

Revolution

A revolution

A revolution

A revolution

Revolution

A revolution

A revolution

A revolution

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
revolution /ˌrevəˈluːʃən/ B2	noun - a forcible overthrow of a government or social order in favor of a new system.
solution /səˈluːʃən/ B1	noun - a means of solving a problem or dealing with a difficult situation.
fighting /ˈfaɪtɪŋ/ A2	verb - to take part in a violent struggle involving physical force or weapons.
oppression /əˈpreʃən/ C1	noun - prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control.
depression /dɪˈpreʃən/ B2	noun - a mental condition characterized by feelings of severe despondency and dejection, typically also with feelings of inadequacy and guilt, often accompanied by lack of energy, disturbance of appetite, and insomnia.
ready /ˈredi/ A2	adjective - prepared for action or use.
stand /stænd/ A1	verb - have or maintain an upright position, supported by one's feet.
fight /faɪt/ A2	verb - take part in a violent struggle involving physical force or weapons.
right /raɪt/ A1	adjective - morally good, justified, or acceptable.
soldiers /ˈsoʊldʒərz/ A2	noun - a person serving in an army.
chosen /ˈtʃoʊzən/ B1	verb - past participle of choose; having been selected as the best or most appropriate.
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.
live /lɪv/ A1	verb - remain alive.
forever /fərˈevər/ A2	adverb - for all future time; eternally.
love /lʌv/ A1	verb - have a strong affection for (another).
sharing /ˈʃeərɪŋ/ A2	verb - have a portion of (something) with another or others.
caring /ˈkeərɪŋ/ B1	verb - feel concern or interest; attach importance to something.
work /wɜːrk/ A1	noun - activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result.

Key Grammar Structures

• Do you know what it means to have a revolution

  ➔ Indirect Question

  ➔ The sentence uses an indirect question format. Instead of asking "What does it mean to have a revolution?" directly, it's embedded within a larger question: "Do you know what it means..." This structure is more polite and grammatically complex.

• And what it takes to make a solution

  ➔ Noun Clause with 'what'

  ➔ The phrase "what it takes" functions as a noun clause, acting as the object of the verb "know" (implied from the previous line). "What" introduces the clause and stands in for the thing required to make a solution.

• Many are called, few are chosen

  ➔ Passive Voice and Ellipsis

  ➔ This proverb uses the passive voice ("are called", "are chosen"). Also it implies "Many people" and "few people" respectively, making it an example of ellipsis (omitting words that are understood).

• Got to fight the right fight in this time, yeah

  ➔ Modal Verb 'Got to' (have to)

  ➔ "Got to" is a colloquial contraction of "have got to," which is a synonym for "have to." It expresses obligation or necessity.

• If you wanna live-a, live-a, live-a, live-a, live, live forever

  ➔ Informal Contraction ('wanna') and Repetition for Emphasis

  ➔ "Wanna" is a colloquial contraction of "want to." The repetition of "live-a" emphasizes the desire to live.

• You gotta love-a, love-a, love-a, love-a, love, love each other

  ➔ Informal Contraction ('Gotta') and Reciprocal Pronoun

  ➔ "Gotta" is the informal contraction of "have got to", expressing necessity. "Each other" is a reciprocal pronoun indicating that the action of loving is mutual.

• A man is paid according to his work

  ➔ Passive Voice and Prepositional Phrase

  ➔ The sentence uses the passive voice ('is paid'). "According to his work" is a prepositional phrase that modifies the verb "is paid," indicating the basis for the payment.