Police and Thieves – English Lyrics

• By: Junior Murvin

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the powerful world of reggae with Junior Murvin's "Police and Thieves." This iconic 1976 track is more than just a song; it's a profound piece of social commentary that provides a unique window into the English language as used in politically charged music. Through its vivid lyrics and Murvin's distinctive falsetto, you can explore themes of protest, injustice, and societal tension. The song's historical significance, especially its connection to the Notting Hill Carnival riots, makes it a compelling way to connect with real-world events and the language used to articulate resistance and observation.

[English]

Mmmm yes

Police and thieves in the street (oh yeah)

Fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition

Police and thieves in the street (oh yeah)

Scaring the nation with their guns and ammunition

From Genesis to Revelation yeah

And next generation will be hear me

All the crimes committed day by day

No one try to stop it in any way

All the peacemakers turn war officers

Hear what I say

Hehehehehehehey

Police and thieves in the street (oh yeah)

Fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition

Police and thieves in the street (oh yeah)

Scaring the nation with their guns and ammunition

Oh yeah

All the crimes committed day by day

No one try to stop it in any way

All the peacemakers turn war officers

Hear what I say

Hehehehehehehey

Police and thieves in the street (oh yeah)

Fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition

Police and thieves in the street (oh yeah)

Scaring the nation with their guns and ammunition

Police and thieves

Police

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
police /pəˈliːs/ A1	noun - a body of people empowered to enforce the law
thieves /θiːvz/ A2	noun - plural of thief; a person who steals
street /striːt/ A1	noun - a public road in a city or town
fighting /ˈfaɪtɪŋ/ A2	verb - taking part in a violent struggle involving physical force or weapons.
nation /ˈneɪʃən/ A2	noun - a large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory.
guns /ɡʌnz/ A2	noun - plural of gun; a weapon incorporating a metal tube from which bullets, shells, or other missiles are fired by explosive force, typically making a loud report.
ammunition /ˌæmjʊˈnɪʃən/ B1	noun - the supply of bullets and shells
scaring /ˈskɛərɪŋ/ B1	verb - causing fear in (someone); frightening
generation /ˌdʒɛnəˈreɪʃən/ B1	noun - all of the people born and living at about the same time
crimes /kraɪmz/ B1	noun - an action or omission which constitutes an offense and is punishable by law.
committed /kəˈmɪtɪd/ B1	verb - carry out or perpetrate (a mistake, crime, or immoral act).
peacemakers /ˈpiːsmeɪkərz/ B2	noun - a person who brings about peace, especially by reconciling adversaries.
officers /ˈɒfɪsərz/ B1	noun - a person holding a position of authority or command in an organization such as the armed forces or the police.
war /wɔːr/ A2	noun - a state of armed conflict between different countries or different groups within a country.
revelation /ˌrɛvəˈleɪʃən/ C1	noun - a surprising and previously unknown fact that has been disclosed to others.

Key Grammar Structures

• Police and thieves in the street

  ➔ Simple Present Tense (Stative/Descriptive)

  ➔ While seemingly simple, the sentence uses the present tense to express a general state of affairs or a persistent condition. It isn't necessarily happening *right now*, but it's an ongoing reality. The preposition "in" indicates the location of police and thieves.

• Fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition

  ➔ Present Participle (Describing an action happening at the same time)

  ➔ "Fighting" is a present participle acting as an adjective, describing what the police and thieves are doing. "with their guns and ammunition" acts as an instrumental phrase, explaining the means by which they are fighting.

• Scaring the nation with their guns and ammunition

  ➔ Present Participle (Describing an action happening at the same time)

  ➔ "Scaring" is a present participle acting as an adjective, describing what the police and thieves are doing, parallel in construction to the previous line. "with their guns and ammunition" describes the instrument used to scare.

• From Genesis to Revelation yeah

  ➔ Prepositional Phrase (Indicating a range or scope)

  ➔ This phrase uses the preposition "from" to indicate the beginning of a range, and "to" to indicate the end. In this context, it symbolizes everything from the beginning to the end, suggesting a complete and encompassing scope.

• And next generation will be hear me

  ➔ Future Simple Tense (incorrect usage, should be 'will hear')

  ➔ The sentence contains a grammatical error. The verb "hear" should follow directly after the auxiliary verb "will". The correct form is "will hear me". This expresses a future action that will occur.

• All the crimes committed day by day

  ➔ Past Participle as Adjective (Describing 'crimes')

  ➔ "Committed" is a past participle functioning as an adjective to describe the noun "crimes." It indicates that the crimes have already been done. "day by day" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying "committed", indicating how the crimes are happening frequently.

• No one try to stop it in any way

  ➔ Simple Present Tense (General statement) with an infinitive (incorrect subject-verb agreement)

  ➔ The sentence uses the simple present tense to make a general statement, but the subject-verb agreement is incorrect. The verb "try" should be "tries" because the subject is "No one" (singular). It's better said "No one tries to stop it in any way."

• All the peacemakers turn war officers

  ➔ Simple Present Tense (General statement)

  ➔ This sentence uses the simple present tense to express a general truth or habitual action. It implies that peacemakers consistently or characteristically become war officers. It's making a commentary on a societal or systemic problem.