Redemption Song
Mulato Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
sold i to the merchant ships,
minutes after they took i
from the bottomless pit.
but my hand was made strong
by the 'and of the almighty.
we forward in this generation
triumphantly.
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? ooh!
some say it's just a part of it:
we've got to fulfil de 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 fulfil de book.
won't you help to sing
dese songs of freedom? -
'cause all i ever had:
redemption songs -
all i ever had:
redemption songs:
these songs of freedom,
songs of freedom.
The lyrics to the song "Redemption Song" by Mulato speak to the struggles of black people and their journey to freedom in the aftermath of slavery. The opening lines draw attention to the barbaric practices of white pirates who captured black people and sold them as slaves to the "merchant ships". The pit is bottomless, meaning that the horrors of slavery seem never-ending.
The song goes on to show how the singer's faith in God gave them the strength to stand against oppression. The reference to the "hand of the almighty" speaks to the idea that only through faith in God and prayer can they overcome their plight. The singer calls for unity and for everyone to join in the struggle for freedom, singing "won't you help to sing these songs of freedom?". The chorus repeats the phrase "redemption songs" emphasizing the theme of freedom.
The second verse of the song goes on to call for "emancipation from mental slavery". The idea is that even after physical slavery has been abolished, people can still be enslaved mentally by beliefs and stereotypes. The atomic energy reference seems to suggest that even in the face of technological advancements, freedom fighters cannot be stopped. The song ends with a call to action to fulfill "de book" or the promise of freedom, and to continue fighting until it is realized.
Line by Line Meaning
Old pirates, yes, they rob i;
I was robbed by pirates who were long gone.
sold i to the merchant ships,
They sold me to merchants like any other object they had stolen.
minutes after they took i
As soon as they took me, I was no longer free.
from the bottomless pit.
The way I was treated left me feeling like I was trapped in a bottomless pit.
but my hand was made strong
Despite what happened to me, I became tougher as a result.
by the 'and of the almighty.
I found strength in my faith in God.
we forward in this generation
We move forward as a collective, in this current time.
triumphantly.
We are determined to win and succeed in our quest for freedom.
won't you help to sing
Join me in raising our voices in a song of freedom.
these songs of freedom? -
Let's sing together about the importance of freedom.
'cause all i ever have:
All I have is my voice and my songs.
redemption songs;
Songs that speak to redemption and liberation.
emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
We must free ourselves from oppressive and limiting beliefs.
none but ourselves can free our minds.
We alone have the power to unchain our minds.
have no fear for atomic energy,
Don't be scared of the threat of atomic energy.
'cause none of them can stop the time.
Nothing can stop time from moving forward.
how long shall they kill our prophets,
How long will those in power continue to silence our leaders?
while we stand aside and look? ooh!
Will we continue to look on passively as this violence takes place?
some say it's just a part of it:
Some say this violence is inevitable in our struggle.
we've got to fulfil de book.
We must follow through on our path to liberation, as prophesied.
dese songs of freedom? -
Will you join me in singing these songs of freedom?
all i ever had:
All I was left with.
redemption songs -
Songs that inspire hope and freedom.
these songs of freedom,
These specifically-selected songs represent our unending battle for freedom.
songs of freedom.
These songs embody our struggle for liberation and what we're working to achieve.
Writer(s): Bob Marley Copyright: Odnil Music Ltd., Fifty Six Hope Road Music Ltd.
Contributed by Lucy V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.