"Serious Thing" lyrics - BUNNY WAILER

BUNNY WAILER
"Serious Thing"
(Neville Livingston)

The most dangerous thing that exists in the world today is serious thing. Oh yes it is!

The way the people are living nowadays.
Let me tell you it's a serious thing.
Can't get no work can't get no pay.
Let me tell you it's a serious thing.
The little children they can't go to school.
Let me tell you it's a serious thing.
Teachers demonstrating for their salaries.
Let me tell you it's a serious thing.

To come home to find your children out of school and on the streets idling is a very serious thing. This arises from a situation where instead of teachers are in the schools teaching they are on the streets demonstrating and that's a serious thing.

So much wars and famine on the land.
Let me tell you it's a serious thing.
Yet we are making more war plans.
Let me tell you it's a serious thing.
There is no attention on the youths nowadays.
Let me tell you it's a serious thing.
No future plans or opportunities.
Let me tell you it's a serious thing.

The devastating memory of Hiroshima has not quenched the bloody thirst of Satan and that's a very serious thing. His future plans are to devour Jah children as he eats up bread and to create instead the dawn of the dead. Serious thing.

In town and country it's the same old cry.
Let me tell you it's a serious thing.
Brothers and sisters I'm telling no lie.
Let me tell you it's a serious thing.
Sometimes you'd wonder if you're wrong or right.
Let me tell you it's a serious thing.
If you've got to stand up and fight.
Let me tell you it's a serious thing.

The struggle for the Blackman's liberty against the vicious apartheid system of South Africa is a very serious thing. And if the weapon of resistance is in the hand of the oppressed against the oppressors then that also is a very serious thing.

Can't pay my bills can't pay my rent.
Now let me tell you it's a serious thing.
Food is essential but I ain't got a cent.
Let me tell you it's a serious thing.
So much people begging in the streets.
Let me tell you it's a serious thing.
Some are picking up to have a bite to eat.
Let me tell you it's a serious thing.

If in the nick-a-time you come home find the landlords bailiff relieving you of all your possessions that could be a serious thing. For your table or for your chair you could find a spare but to take your bed away is a very serious thing. To go to your brother to ask for a loan only to realize that he was heading for your home is a very serious thing. And to be in the position where your daily bread comes only from the garbage is a very serious thing.

Tom, Dick and Harry they are complaining, oh yeah.
They are saying it's a serious thing.
About the condition they are living in, oh yeah.
They are saying it's a serious thing.
So much in the prison living in one cell.
Let me tell you it's a serious thing.
Much more to join in in that smell.
Let me tell you it's a serious thing.

To be confined to a cell which like a cesspool bears a smell it's a very, very serious thing. To be stripped of all your rights, sanity, dignity and liberty it's a very, very serious thing. To be chained and shackled and thrown in a dungeon it's a very, very serious thing. It's like working on a chain-gang but it's more than that it's a serious thing. Ain't got no liberation. Serious thing.