Diallo
Wyclef Jean feat. Youssou N'Dour & MB² Lyrics

Boy I am so tired
The singer is expressing their exhaustion.

I'll be glad when I get inside the house
The singer is looking forward to getting inside their house.

Oh, I dropped my keys
The singer has dropped their keys.

Oh what tis bright light?
The artist is unsure about a bright light they have seen.

My God they must gonna rob me
The artist is worried they are being robbed.

Who these people with them all at they gonna rob me
The singer is questioning who the people around them are and if they are robbers.

I'm gonna take out my wallet to make sure they just get the money
The singer plans to give their wallet to the apparent robbers to ensure their safety.

Nothing else..
The artist only plans to give their money to the robbers.

Oh it's the police (whew)
The bright light the artist saw was the police, which makes them feel relieved.

I feel so much better
The artist feels much better now that they know it is the police.

I will show them, I have my ID
The singer will show their ID to the police to prove they are innocent.

so they know I am good people
The artist wants the police to know that they are not doing anything wrong.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
The singer is referencing a section from the Book of Psalms, suggesting that they may face danger or death.

I fear no evil for thou art with me thou ride with me
The singer is suggesting that they believe a powerful figure is protecting them, and this figure is with them through life's journey.

J-J-Jah! Ras-tafari
The singer is shouting out to a deity or religious figure important in the Rastafarian religion.

I can't forget you knotty dreads, y'all up in here
The artist is referencing someone in the group that has distinct hair, suggesting that they are admiring it.

I gotta respect that, youknowhatI'msayin?
The artist is showing respect to the group and is checking if they are understanding.

Night is in the air
The singer is suggesting that it is night time.

Enemy.. on the borderline
The singer is suggesting that there is danger nearby.

Who'll be the next to fire
The artist is wondering who the next person to engage in conflict or violence will be.

forty-one shots by Diallo's side?
The artist is referencing a controversial incident that occurred involving an unarmed man named Diallo who was shot 41 times by the police.

You said he reached sir
The artist is referencing a police officer's justification for shooting Diallo.

but he didn't have no piece sir
The singer is suggesting that Diallo did not have a weapon or means of threat.

But now he rest in peace sir
The artist is acknowledging that Diallo has passed away and may have found peace following his death.

in the belly of the beast sir
The singer is referencing a colloquial phrase meaning to be in a dangerous or difficult situation.

You guys are vampires
The singer is using a metaphor to call out people he views as dangerous or cruel.

in the middle of the night
The singer is suggesting that something bad is happening at night.

Suckin on human blood
The artist is again using a metaphor to suggest that people are causing harm to others.

Is that your appetite?
The artist is questioning if causing harm is what the violent individuals really want.

Have you ever been shot
The singer is referencing their own experience with violence or harm.

Have you ever screamed
The singer is suggesting that they may have been in pain or fear during a violent experience.

and no one heard you cry?
The artist is suggesting that they were alone in their suffering.

Have you ever died
The artist is referencing a metaphorical death or near-death experience.

only so you can live?
The artist is suggesting that an experience like a death can put life into perspective.

Have you ever lived
The singer is asking if the other party understands the gravity of being alive.

only so you can die again, then be born again
The artist is referencing a cycle of life, death, and rebirth that is common in various spiritual beliefs.

from these enemies, on the borderline
The singer is again referring to those he views as violent or dangerous.

Is that your appetite sir?
The singer is again questioning if violence is what motivates these dangerous people.

Diallo, Diallo - similar to Steven Biko
The singer is referencing Diallo again and associating him with Steven Biko, a South African anti-apartheid activist who died while in police custody.

Diallo, Diallo - you told me the murder was an error
The artist is calling out an apparent attempt to justify Diallo's death as an accident.

Diallo, Diallo - but every man will be judged
The artist is suggesting that those who cause harm will eventually face judgment or consequences.

Diallo, Diallo - according to his words
The singer is referencing Diallo's own words and potential quotes that may relate to his death or life.

Have you ever been held
The singer is again referencing experiences with violence or captivity.

against your will?
The artist is asking if the other party understands the concept of being helpless or trapped.

Taken to a dark place
The artist is further elaborating on a violent experience or abduction.

where not even scientists can reveal?
The artist is suggesting that the harm they suffered may have been difficult to understand or quantify.

So what is for Ceasar
The singer is referencing a famous phrase from the Bible that implies giving to those in power.

let it be for Ceasar
The artist is suggesting that they have given enough of themselves to those in power.

Cause we don't want no peace
The singer is referencing a famous Bob Marley quote that encourages people to fight for justice instead of settling for peace.

We want equal rights and justice.. for
The singer is expressing their desire for equality and justice for all, regardless of their race or background.

Diallo, Diallo - you tell me that the murder was an error
The singer is again referencing the controversial killing of Diallo and criticizing any attempts to excuse or justify it.

You know what?
The artist is asking if the other party understands their message.

You told me - that I wouldn't understand man
The artist is referring to someone who previously suggested they wouldn't understand a complex situation.

Tonight some cry - in the streets a burial
The singer is referencing an occasion of mourning or grieving in the community.

Survival of the fittest - only the strong will survive
The singer is referring to a common phrase that suggests that those who are strong enough will survive in difficult situations.

How can I survive - with forty-one shots by my side?
The artist is questioning how they can feel safe or survive in a world where unjust violence has occurred like the incident with Diallo.

You guys are murderers
The artist is calling out those who have committed violent acts.

Killin innocent people
The artist is emphasizing the fact that the victims of the violent acts are innocent.

is that your appetite? Ohhh
The singer is questioning if violence and harm are what truly motivates these violent individuals.

in the belly of the beast sir - lick a shot for
The artist is referencing a difficult or dangerous situation and is encouraging someone to take action against those who have committed violent acts.

Diallo, Diallo - I can hear your spirit callin, I can hear it
The singer is referencing Diallo again and suggesting that his spirit or memory is alive.

Diallo, Diallo - Ten thousand chariots with no riders
The singer is referencing Diallo again and using a metaphor to suggest an absence or void.

Diallo, Diallo - They on they way to America, I hear the tribe singin
The singer is suggesting that Diallo's legacy or memory is spreading and being celebrated by people, like a tribe.

They're sayin -
The artist is indicating a quote or saying.

Diallo Diallo, tuye' Diallo
The artist is repeating Diallo's name, suggesting that it has become a symbol or rallying cry.

Diallo Diallo, tuye' Diallo
The singer is again repeating Diallo's name as a symbol of protest or remembrance.

Se menm jen yo te tuye Matim Luther King
The singer is referencing another figure who was killed due to racial violence, Martin Luther King Jr.

Amadou Diallo..
The artist is concluding the song by repeating the name of Amadou Diallo, the central figure of the song.

Now there ain't but 20,000 police in the whole town
The artist is making a point about the number of police in a certain town.

Can you dig it? Can you dig it? CAN YOU DIG IT?!?!
The artist is repeating a phrase multiple times in an emphatic manner, perhaps in an attempt to rally his listeners or emphasize his point.