England

Inglan is a bitch

Inglan is a bitch

 w'en mi jus' come to Landan toun

mi use to work pan di andahgroun

but workin' pan di andahgroun

y'u don't get fi know your way aroun' 

Inglan is a bitch, dere's no escapin it

Inglan is a bitch, dere's no runnin' whey fram it

mi get a lickle jab in a big 'otell

an' aftah a while, mi woz doin' quite well

dem staat mi aaf as a dish-washah

but w'en mi tek a stack, mi noh tun clackwatchah! 

Inglan is a bitch, dere's no escapin it

Inglan is a bitch, noh baddah try fi hide fram it

 w'en em gi'you di lickle wage packit

fus dem rab it wid dem big tax rackit

y'u haffi struggle fi meek en's meet

an' w'en y'u goh a y'u bed y'u jus' cant sleep 

Inglan is a bitch, dere's no escapin it

Inglan is a bitch fi true, a noh lie mi a tell, a true

mi use to work dig ditch w'en it cowl noh bitch

mi did strang like a mule, but, bwoy, mi did fool

den awftah a while mi jus' stap dhu ovahtime

den aftah a while mi jus' phu dung mi tool 

Inglan is a bitch, dere's no escapin it

Inglan is a bitch, y'u haffi know how fi suvvive in it

well mi dhu day wok an' mi duh nite wok

mi duh clean wok an' mi duh dutty wok

dem seh dat black man is very lazy

but it y'u si mi wok y'u woulda sey mi crazy 

Inglan is a bitch, dere's no escapin it

Inglan is a bitch, y'u bettah face up to it

dem have a lickle facktri up inna Brackly

inna disya facktri all dem dhu is pack crackry

fi di laas fifteen years dem get mi laybah

now awftah fiteen years mi fall out a fayvah 

Inglan is a bitch, dere's no escapin it

Inglan is a bitch, dere's no runnin' whey fram it

mi   know dem have work, work in abundant

yet still, dem mek mi redundant

now, at fifty-five mi gettin' quite ol'

yet still, dem sen' mi fi goh draw dole 

Inglan is a bitch, dere's no escapin it

Inglan is a bitch, is whey wi a goh dhu 'bout it?

words by Linton Kwesi Johnson

pictures by TheCornPoppy