[Verse 1: Roots Manuva]

Judge 'em on [bad word] up
It's bound to be your bad luck [bad word] ways to survive
You judge a man by the risk he takes
To change his faith and place himself
Up in the dreamscape, free from the trappings
The flesh will trap him, the flesh will tap him
And these lights look bright in the city
And one day this might be his city
He got more dreams than Luther King
But pipes of peace might do for him
But some get peace by keeping the peace, in easy reach and being quick to squeeze

[Hook: Roots Manuva]

The road takes a hold on you [bad word] the whole of you
You're looking at the stolen youth
The eggs, the clucker and the golden goose. (X2)

[Verse 2: Roots Manuva]

Honour among thieves is the talk of a fool
The only protection is the talk of your tool
Decent people just stand by watching
Pure disbelief and, happy it's not him
How long does the madness last?
How long is a piece of string?
You're better off being mad as a rasc'
An' then you won't have to face a [bad word] and hide, a french kiss to chaos
Standing firm and waiting for the pay-off
These are those types of days, where it ain't no use in being afraid
The game played here's got the [bad word] The game played here has got [bad word] The pain is life, the pain is death
It's plain as life, and plain as breath

[Hook: Roots Manuva]

The road takes a hold on you [bad word] the whole of you
You're looking at the stolen youth
The egg, the clucker and the golden goose. (X2)