Slave Driver
Bob Marley feat. The Wailers Lyrics
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Slave driver, the table is turn; (catch a fire)
Catch a fire, so you can get burn, now. (catch a fire)
Slave driver, the table is turn; (catch a fire)
Catch a fire: gonna get burn. (catch a fire) Wo, now!
Ev'rytime I hear the crack of a whip,
My blood runs cold.
How they brutalize the very souls.
Today they say that we are free,
Only to be chained in poverty.
Good God, I think it's illiteracy;
It's only a machine that makes money.
Slave driver, the table is turn, y'all. Ooh-ooh-oo-ooh.
Slave driver, uh! The table is turn, baby, now; (catch a fire)
Catch a fire, so you can get burn, baby, now. (catch a fire)
Slave driver, the table is turn, y'all; (catch a fire)
Catch a fire: so you can get burn, now. (catch a fire)
Ev'rytime I hear the crack of a whip,
My blood runs cold.
I remember on the slave ship,
How they brutalize the very soul.
O God, have mercy on our souls!
Oh, slave driver, the table is turn, y'all; (catch a fire)
Catch a fire, so you can get burn. (catch a fire)
Slave driver, the table is turn, y'all; (catch a fire)
Catch a fire ... /fadeout/
"Slave Driver" by Bob Marley and The Wailers is a song with a powerful message about the legacy of slavery and its impact on the world. The lyrics describe the brutality and dehumanization of slaves on a slave ship, where the sound of the whip makes the singer's blood run cold. The repetition of the phrase "slave driver, the table is turn" highlights the irony of the situation, as the roles have been reversed and the ones who were once enslaved are now in control.
The lyrics also criticize the aftermath of slavery, as the singer points out that although slavery has been abolished, poverty and illiteracy continue to keep people in bondage. The line "it's only a machine that makes money" suggests that capitalism and economic exploitation perpetuate a form of modern-day slavery.
Overall, "Slave Driver" is a powerful condemnation of the horrors of slavery and a call for justice and equality.
Line by Line Meaning
Slave driver, the table is turn;
The oppressor, who was once in control, is now under the control of the oppressed.
Catch a fire, so you can get burn, now.
Face the consequences of your actions.
Ev'rytime I hear the crack of a whip, my blood runs cold.
Hearing the sound of a whip invokes fear and trauma because of the memory of the past atrocities committed by slave drivers.
I remember on the slave ship, how they brutalize the very souls.
The experience of brutality and inhumanity suffered by the slaves during transportation to the new world is still haunting and painful.
Today they say that we are free, only to be chained in poverty.
Though slavery has been abolished, people of color still suffer from economic and social inequality.
Good God, I think it's illiteracy; it's only a machine that makes money.
The root cause of suffering is lack of education and the greed-driven economic system that keeps people suppressed.
O God, have mercy on our souls!
Hope for divine intervention to end the suffering of the oppressed.
Writer(s): Bob Marley
Contributed by Ruby Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@theloniouscoltrane3778
"Slave Driver"
Ooh-ooh-oo-ooh. Oo-oo-ooh! Oo-oo-ooh.
Slave driver, the table is turn; (catch a fire)
Catch a fire, so you can get burn, now. (catch a fire)
Slave driver, the table is turn; (catch a fire)
Catch a fire: gonna get burn. (catch a fire) Wo, now!
Ev'rytime I hear the crack of a whip,
My blood runs cold.
I remember on the slave ship,
How they brutalize the very souls.
Today they say that we are free,
Only to be chained in poverty.
Good God, I think it's illiteracy;
It's only a machine that makes money.
Slave driver, the table is turn, y'all. Ooh-ooh-oo-ooh.
Slave driver, uh! The table is turn, baby, now; (catch a fire)
Catch a fire, so you can get burn, baby, now. (catch a fire)
Slave driver, the table is turn, y'all; (catch a fire)
Catch a fire: so you can get burn, now. (catch a fire)
Ev'rytime I hear the crack of a whip,
My blood runs cold.
I remember on the slave ship,
How they brutalize the very soul.
O God, have mercy on our souls!
Oh, slave driver, the table is turn, y'all; (catch a fire)
Catch a fire, so you can get burn. (catch a fire)
Slave driver, the table is turn, y'all; (catch a fire)
Catch a fire ...ย [fadeout]
@eddymanijean6794
Slave Driver (Esclavagiste)
Slave driver the table is turned
Esclavagiste les choses ont changรฉ
Catch a fire so you can get burned
Attrape un feu et tu peux te brรปler
Slave driver your table is turned
Esclavagiste tes choses ont changรฉ
Catch your fire, you're gonna get burned
Attrape ton feu, tu vas te brรปler
Ev'ry time I hear the crack of a whip
Chaque fois que j'entends le claquement d'un fouet
My blood runs cold
Mon sang se glace
I remember on the slave ship
Je me rappelle sur le bateau d'esclaves
How they brutalised their very souls
Comment ils brutalisaient nos รขmes
Today they say that we are free
Aujourd'hui ils disent que nous sommes libres
Only to be chained in poverty
Seulement d'รชtre enchaรฎnรฉs dans la pauvretรฉ
Good god, I think it's all illiteraci
Bon Dieu, je crois que tout ca est illรฉgal
It's only a machine that makes money
C'est seulement une machine qui fait de l'argent
@eddymanijean6794
Slave Driver (Marchand D'esclaves)
Slave driver the table is turned
Marchant d'esclaves les choses ont changรฉ
Catch a fire so you can get burned
Attrape un feu et tu peux te brรปler
Slave driver your table is turned
Marchant d'esclaves tes choses ont changรฉ
Catch your fire, you're gonna get burned
Attrape ton feu, tu vas te brรปler
Ev'ry time I hear the crack of a whip
Chaque fois que j'entends le claquement d'un fouet
My blood runs cold
Mon sang se glace
I remember on the slave ship
Je me rappelle sur le bateau d'esclaves
How they brutalised their very souls
Comment ils brutalisaient nos รขmes
Today they say that we are free
Aujourd'hui ils disent que nous sommes libres
Only to be chained in poverty
Seulement d'รชtre enchaรฎnรฉs dans la pauvretรฉ
Good god, I think it's all illiteraci
Bon Dieu, je crois que tout ca est illรฉgal
It's only a machine that makes money
C'est seulement une machine qui fait de l'argent
@Polygor2
I prefer the Jamaican version of the album as everything sounds clearer
@maryajones3147
The very 1st Bob Marley and the Wailers album I ever purchased๐
@Johnelienyc187
Same here
@adhominemsis-t.australisensis
And the best!
@annalishagoring
@@adhominemsis-t.australisensis one of the best yes
@WMAGene
This song pours from the speakers like slow syrup. Delicious!
@marcelo_koman
Sweet and Saucy
@Zlervo
Yes please ๐
@levicanterbury797
Um
@kevincarrillo9627
Amรฉn