When the white man first came here from over the sea
 he looked and he said this is God's own country
 he was mighty well pleased with this land that he'd found
 and he said I will make here my own piece of ground 

 Now the land was inhabited so I've heard say
 by little men who painted on the rock face by day
 they stuck to their land so he hunted them down
 and left them to rot on their own piece of ground. 

 Many's the battle he still had to fight
 many's the family that died In the night
 for many were the black men that lived all around
 and all of them wanting their own piece of ground. 

 So northwards he trekked and northwards he rode
 over veld and tough countryside onwards he strode
 in the Free State and the Transvaal his oxen outspanned
 and he planted the seed in his own piece of land. 

 Then one fine day in 1883
 gold was discovered in good quantity
 the country was rich, much richer than planned
 and each digger wanted his own piece of land. 

 Now the diggers were few and the gold was so deep
 that the black man was called 'cos his labour was cheap
 with drill and with shovel he toiled underground
 Fourpence a day for ten tons of ground. 

 Now this land is so rich and it seems strange to me
 that the black man whose labour has helped it to be
 cannot enjoy the [bad word] that abound
 is uprooted and kicked from his own piece of ground 

 Some people say now don't you worry
 we've kept you a nice piece of reserve territory
 but how can a life for so many be found
 on a miserable thirteen per cent of the ground? 

 Some people say now don't you worry
 you can always find jobs in the white man's city
 but don't stay too long and don't stay too deep
 or you're bound to disturb the white man in his sleep. 

 White man don't sleep long and don't sleep too deep
 or your life and your possessions how long will you keep?
 For I've heard [bad word] that [bad word] around
 that the black man's demanding his own piece of ground.