Get Up
The Wailers Lyrics


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Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight!

Preacher man, don't tell me
Heaven is under the earth
I know you don't know
What life is really worth
It's not all that glitters is gold
'Alf the story has never been told
So now you see the light, eh!
Stand up for your rights. Come on!

Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight!
Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight!

Most people think
Great God will come from the skies
Take away everything
And make everybody feel high
But if you know what life is worth
You will look for yours on earth
And now you see the light
You stand up for your rights. Jah!

Get up, stand up! (Jah, Jah!)
Stand up for your rights! (Oh-hoo!)
Get up, stand up! (Get up, stand up!)
Don't give up the fight! (Life is your right!)
Get up, stand up! (So we can't give up the fight!)
Stand up for your rights! (Lord, Lord!)
Get up, stand up! (Keep on struggling on!)
Don't give up the fight! (Yeah!)

We sick an' tired of-a your ism-skism game
Dyin' 'n' goin' to heaven in-a Jesus' name, Lord
We know when we understand:
Almighty God is a living man
You can fool some people sometimes
But you can't fool all the people all the time
So now we see the light (What you gonna do?)
We gonna stand up for our rights! (Yeah, yeah, yeah!)

So you better,
Get up, stand up! (In the morning! Git it up!)
Stand up for your rights! (Stand up for our rights!)
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight! (Don't give it up, don't give it up!)
Get up, stand up! (Get up, stand up!)
Stand up for your rights! (Get up, stand up!)
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight! (Get up, stand up!)
Get up, stand up!
Stand up for your rights!




Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight!

Overall Meaning

The Wailers' song "Get Up, Stand Up" encourages individuals to assert themselves and stand up for their rights. The first verse addresses religious leaders who preach about heaven on earth while ignoring the struggles of everyday life. The lyrics suggest that not all that glitters is gold and only half of the story is being told.


The second verse challenges the belief that a higher power will bring happiness and success. Instead, the singer encourages listeners to find their own fulfillment on earth. The chorus repeats "Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!" and "Don't give up the fight!" as a call to action.


The final verse speaks out against those who use religion to manipulate and control others. The lyrics state that while some people may be fooled, not everyone can be deceived all the time. The song ends with a final call to "Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!"


Overall, the message of the song is one of empowerment and taking action to fight for what is right. It encourages individuals to not be complacent, but instead to fight for a better future.


Line by Line Meaning

Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Don't give up on fighting for your rights; stand up and assert them.


Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight!
Persistence in the fight for your rights is key, stay on the grind.


Preacher man, don't tell me Heaven is under the earth
A refusal to believe that the good life only comes after death and it can only be attained in heaven


I know you don't know What life is really worth
Awareness that others cannot have all the answers to what is best for oneself


It's not all that glitters is gold 'Alf the story has never been told
Appealing to people to be aware that not everything they hear about a certain subject is the whole story


So now you see the light, eh! Stand up for your rights. Come on!
When information has been made clear, one should fight against any form of oppression or unjust treatment.


Most people think Great God will come from the skies Take away everything And make everybody feel high
People expect a divine intervention that will make everything better without their necessarily having to do anything


But if you know what life is worth You will look for yours on earth And now you see the light You stand up for your rights. Jah!
Asserting that one's self-worth and values are worth fighting for instead of waiting for a divine being to come and do things for them


We sick an' tired of-a your ism-skism game Dyin' 'n' goin' to heaven in-a Jesus' name, Lord
Fed up with people using religion to control and oppress others, while promising that everything will be alright when they die and go to heaven.


We know when we understand: Almighty God is a living man
Acknowledging that God's presence is in the living people who collectively work to make the world better for everyone


You can fool some people sometimes But you can't fool all the people all the time So now we see the light (What you gonna do?) We gonna stand up for our rights! (Yeah, yeah, yeah!)
Not everyone can be fooled; they can see things clearly now and will fight for their rights


So you better, Get up, stand up! (In the morning! Git it up!) Stand up for your rights! (Stand up for our rights!) Get up, stand up! Don't give up the fight! (Don't give it up, don't give it up!)
Encouragement to keep fighting every day, not relenting in the struggle against oppression and inequality


Stand up for your rights! (Get up, stand up!) Get up, stand up! Don't give up the fight! (Get up, stand up!) Get up, stand up! Stand up for your rights! Get up, stand up! Don't give up the fight!
Reiteration of the need to keep fighting tirelessly until all rights are fully realized, without giving up whatsoever.




Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BOB MARLEY, PETER TOSH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@nathandennis19

Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight!
Preacher man, don't tell me
Heaven is under the earth
I know you don't know
What life is really worth
It's not all that glitters is gold
'Alf the story has never been told
So now you see the light, eh!
Stand up for your rights. Come on!
Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight!
Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight!
Most people think,
Great God will come from the skies
Take away everything
And make everybody feel high
But if you know what life is worth
You will look for yours on earth
And now you see the light
You stand up for your rights. Jah!
Get up, stand up! (Jah, Jah!)
Stand up for your rights! (Oh-hoo!)
Get up, stand up! (Get up, stand up!)
Don't give up the fight! (Life is your right!)
Get up, stand up! (So we can't give up the fight!)
Stand up for your rights! (Lord, Lord!)
Get up, stand up! (Keep on struggling on!)
Don't give up the fight! (Yeah!)
We sick an' tired of-a your ism-skism game
Dyin' 'n' goin' to heaven in-a Jesus' name, Lord
We know when we understand
Almighty God is a living man
You can fool some people sometimes
But you can't fool all the people all the time
So now we see the light (What you gonna do?)
We gonna stand up for our rights! (Yeah, yeah, yeah!)
So you better
Get up, stand up! (In the morning! Git it up!)
Stand up for your rights! (Stand up for our rights!)
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight! (Don't give it up, don't give it up!)
Get up, stand up! (Get up, stand up!)
Stand up for your rights! (Get up, stand up!)
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight! (Get up, stand up!)
Get up, stand up!
Stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight!



All comments from YouTube:

@worldofbattlerap9149

That percussion in the introduction is one of the most powerful things to date.🥁🥁

@willieluncheonette

The next Wailers session, again around April, 1973, was AMAZING. It yielded six songs that wound up on Burnin' and one extra song that was not included on the album. Get Up, Stand Up was the opening song on Burnin' and is one of the Wailers MOST famous songs. known the world over. Although Bob sings lead here, Peter takes one chorus and the song is a perfect reflection of Peter's militant attitude.  At the One Love Peace Concert in Jamaica in April, 1978, Peter really laid into the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader (both sitting in the second row) with a long harangue filled with cursing and righteous indignation. A few months later, Peter was dragged into a cell and beaten so badly he never fully recovered his ability to play instruments. A wonderful documentary about Peter's life, Stepping Razor: Red X,  has been released on DVD. Peter once sang "I don't want no peace/ I want equal rights and justice! "  One beautiful soul was Peter.

@willieluncheonette

Michael Finney thanks Michael. So nice you saw this beautiful man. 

@roxh1859

Red Rocks in Denver, CO.  has Reggae on the Rocks .. fortunate to see Ziggy & Rita perform with the Wailers  .. cool event!!  Excellent shares as always willieluncheonette 

@willieluncheonette

Rox Hendrick Tres cool, Rox  . And thank you. 

@melmagicspell4033

Thanks for that. Much interesting info. Love & Peace

@KEYBEATZ

Yeah Peter Tosh made this song. It doesn't work without him

@tiagooliveira7059

Melhor álbum! !!😆😆😆👊👊👊

@albertozaccaria6512

This is the real music!!! no auto tune! :(

@ambertjeblue

Have this original 73 record, play it all the time. Magic, and more pertinent today than ever for EVERYBODY !!

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