Redemption Song – English Lyrics

• By: Bob Marley & The Wailers

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the profound lyrics of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song," a timeless anthem of freedom and mental liberation. This stripped-down, acoustic masterpiece offers an intimate journey into powerful English expressions of resilience, self-empowerment, and social justice. Learning the language through this song allows you to grasp not only vocabulary but also the historical context and emotional depth that make it a universal call for human dignity.

[English]

("Redemption Song" by Bob Marley & The Wailers)

♪ Old pirates, yes, they rob I ♪

♪ Sold I to the merchant ships ♪

♪ Minutes after they took I ♪

♪ From the bottomless pit ♪

♪ But my hand was made strong ♪

♪ By the hand of the Almighty ♪

♪ We forward in this generation ♪

♪ Triumphantly ♪

♪ Won't you help to sing ♪

♪ These songs of freedom? ♪

♪ 'Cause all I ever have ♪

♪ Redemption songs ♪

♪ Redemption songs ♪

♪ Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery ♪

♪ None but ourselves can free our minds ♪

♪ Have no fear for atomic energy ♪

♪ 'Cause none of them can stop the time ♪

♪ How long shall they kill our prophets ♪

♪ While we stand aside and look? ♪

♪ Oooh! ♪

♪ Some say it's just a part of it ♪

♪ We've got to fulfill the book ♪

♪ Won't you help to sing ♪

♪ These songs of freedom? ♪

♪ 'Cause all I ever have ♪

♪ Redemption songs ♪

♪ Redemption songs ♪

♪ Redemption songs ♪

♪ (Guitar break) ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery ♪

♪ None but ourselves can free our mind ♪

♪ Wo! ♪

♪ Have no fear for atomic energy ♪

♪ 'Cause none of them-a can-a stop-a the time ♪

♪ How long shall they kill our prophets ♪

♪ While we stand aside and look? ♪

♪ Yes, some say it's just a part of it ♪

♪ We've got to fulfill the book ♪

♪ Won't you help to sing ♪

♪ These songs of freedom? ♪

♪ 'Cause all I ever had ♪

♪ Redemption songs ♪

♪ All I ever had ♪

♪ Redemption songs ♪

♪ These songs of freedom ♪

♪ Songs of freedom ♪

♪ ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
redemption /rɪˈdɛmpʃən/ C1	noun - the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.
song /sɔŋ/ A1	noun - a piece of music with words that you sing
freedom /ˈfriːdəm/ B1	noun - the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved.
rob /rɒb/ B1	verb - to take something illegally from a person or place, often using violence or the threat of violence.
merchant /ˈmɜːrtʃənt/ B2	noun - a person or company involved in wholesale trade, especially one dealing with foreign countries or supplying merchandise to a particular trade.
pit /pɪt/ B1	noun - a large hole in the ground.
strong /strɒŋ/ A1	adjective - having the power to move heavy weights or perform other physically demanding tasks.
generation /ˌdʒenəˈreɪʃən/ B1	noun - all of the people born and living at about the same time.
triumphantly /traɪˈʌmfəntli/ C1	adverb - in a way that shows great happiness or satisfaction as a result of a success or victory.
emancipate /ɪˈmænsɪpeɪt/ C1	verb - to set free, especially from legal, social, or political restrictions.
slavery /ˈsleɪvəri/ B2	noun - the condition of being owned by another person and being forced to work for them.
mind /maɪnd/ A2	noun - the element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think, and to feel; the faculty of consciousness.
fear /fɪər/ A2	noun - an unpleasant emotion caused by the perception of danger, real or imagined. verb - be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or threatening.
atomic /əˈtɒmɪk/ B2	adjective - relating to or using the energy released by nuclear fission or fusion.
energy /ˈenərdʒi/ A2	noun - the strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity.
prophet /ˈprɒfɪt/ B2	noun - a person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God.
fulfill /fʊlˈfɪl/ B2	verb - to bring to completion or reality; achieve or realize (something desired, promised, or predicted).

Key Grammar Structures

• Old pirates, yes, they rob I

  ➔ Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) with pronoun 'I' used unconventionally.

  ➔ Standard English would be 'they rob *me*.' The use of 'I' is a characteristic of Jamaican Patois, emphasizing the personal impact. This highlights the past action of being robbed.

• Sold I to the merchant ships

  ➔ Similar to the previous line, using 'I' instead of 'me' as the object of the verb 'sold'.

  ➔ Again, this follows the grammatical conventions of Jamaican Patois. Standard English would use 'me'. This usage continues to emphasize the personal experience of being sold.

• But my hand was made strong

  ➔ Passive voice: 'was made'.

  ➔ The passive voice focuses on the object that receives the action, rather than the subject performing the action. It emphasizes that the hand experienced the strengthening, rather than the agent that caused it.

• By the hand of the Almighty

  ➔ Prepositional phrase indicating agency: 'by' + noun.

  ➔ The phrase 'by the hand of...' specifies who or what performed the action in the passive voice. Here, it attributes the strengthening of the hand to a divine power, 'the Almighty'.

• Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery

  ➔ Imperative mood: 'Emancipate' (command or instruction). Prepositional phrase: 'from mental slavery'.

  ➔ The verb 'Emancipate' is used in the imperative mood, directly instructing the listener or audience to free themselves. The prepositional phrase 'from mental slavery' specifies what they should free themselves *from*.

• None but ourselves can free our minds

  ➔ Inversion/emphasis. 'None but ourselves' functions as the subject, emphasizing that only they themselves can liberate their minds.

  ➔ The structure emphasizes personal responsibility and agency. Instead of a standard sentence like 'Only we can free our minds,' the inverted structure makes the statement more forceful and impactful. The phrase 'None but' means 'only'.

• Have no fear for atomic energy

  ➔ Imperative (negative): 'Have no fear'. Prepositional phrase: 'for atomic energy'.

  ➔ This is a negative command encouraging defiance against fear. 'Have no fear' means 'do not be afraid'. The 'for atomic energy' indicates the object of the fear that they should not have.

• Cause none of them can stop the time

  ➔ Subordinate clause with 'cause' (because). Modal verb 'can' expressing ability.

  ➔ 'Cause' is a shortened version of 'because', introducing a reason or explanation. The modal verb 'can' indicates what is possible or not possible. The sentence asserts that no one has the ability to stop time.