Harry Belafonte › Lyrics › Kwela (Listen to the Man)

Here comes the doo doo, flying up the street
Running like the fire burning on his feet
Casting his eye left to the right
Looking for a place he can duck out of sight

Here come the goomba goomba, rumbling up the road
Looking for somebody to fill up the load
A big fat cat he had, get off the bag
Scooping up the striker, lest given him a whack

Come on boy, jump inside
Come on, boy, we gonna take you for a ride
It's an excursion, where you don't have to pay
At the end of the line you'll find a place to stay

(Kwela, kwela)
You better listen to the man
(Kwela, kwela)
Everybody jump in the van

(Kwela-la, kwela-la, oh, kwela-la)
You better listen to the man
(And we're shouting kwela-la, kwela-la)
Everybody jump in the van

Now, doo doo, he doin', doin' pretty well
He got a private room at the the Blue Hotel
Everyday he gets a complimentary meal
Maybe check out soon if can make a deal

He wanna play music out on the street
I'm sure you got your Nike's tight on your feet
Better make sure that you stay outta sight
For the Chakalas when he got a big appetite

Come on boy, jump inside
Come on, boy, we gotta take you for a ride
It's an excursion where you don't have to pay
At the end of the line you'll find a place to stay

(Kwela, kwela)
You better listen to the man
(Kwela, Kwela)
Everybody jump in the van

(Kwela-la, kwela-la, oh, kwela-la)
You better listen to the man
(Keep on shouting kwela-la, kwela-la)
Everybody jump in the van

Come on boy, jump inside
Come on, boy, we gonna take you for a ride
It's an excursion where you don't have to pay
At the end of the line you'll find a place to stay

(Kwela, kwela)
You better listen to the man
(Kwela, kwela)
Everybody jump in the van

I said, you better, you better
(Kwela-la, kwela-la, oh, kwela-la)
You better listen to the man
(Keep on shouting kwela-la, kwela-la)
Everybody, everybody, everybody jump in the van

I said, hey, doo doo, hey, doo doo
(Kwela, kwela)
You better listen to the man
Hey, doo doo, hey, doo doo
(Kwela, kwela)
Everybody jump in the van

I said, hey, doo doo, hey, doo doo
(Kwela-la, kwela-la, oh, kwela-la)
You better listen to the man
(Keep on shouting, kwela-la, kwela-la)
Hey, doo doo, hey, doo doo
Everybody jump in the van

Kwe-kwe-kwela, kiwela kwela
Kwe-kwe-kwela, kiwela kwela
Kwe-kwe-kwela, kiwela kwela
Kwe-kwe-kwela, kiwela kwela

You gotta jump down, turn around, pick a pocket
Jump, turn, I wanna lay
You gotta jump and turn, pick a pocket
Jump, turn, I wanna lay

You gotta jump and turn, pick a pocket
Jump, turn, I wanna lay
You gotta jump and turn, pick a pocket
Jump, turn, I wanna lay

Pick it, I wanna lay
Pick it

Hey, doo doo, hey, doo doo
You better listen to the man
Hey, doo doo, hey, doo doo
Everybody jump in the van

I said, you better, you better
(Kwela, kwela)
You better listen to the man
Everybody, everybody
(Kwela, kwela)
Everybody jump in the van

I said, hey doo doo, hey, doo doo
(Kwe-kwe-kwela, kiwela kwela)
You better listen to the man
Hey, doo doo, hey, doo doo
(Kwe-kwe-kwela, kiwela kwela)
Everybody jump in the van