The Boy Who Played The Harp Lyrics – Dave

Read the full The Boy Who Played the Harp lyrics by Dave along with the music video, song credits, release information and other details about the song. If you enjoy Dave’s music, you can also explore Wake Up and Look What You Made Me Do, two other songs by Dave.

[Verse]
Yeah
I some time’s wonder “What would I do in a next generation?”
In 1940, if I was enlisted to fight for the nation
Or in 1960, the fire to fight for the rights of my people
And laid down my life on the line so my grandkids could live a life that’s peaceful
Would I be on that? Would I be frontline
That’s what I’m thinking
If I was alive in the 1912 on the Titanic and it was sinking
Who am I saving? Am I fighting woman and children, or am I waiting?
I wonder, what would I do in a next generation?
Battle of Karbala, if they captured me for the sake of my father

Would I stand on my honour like Hussein did it and tell them to make me martyr
Would I really get smarter?
Forgive my oppressor, or stick to the creed
If I got locked inside like Nelson Mandela, but never was freed
I see a white man dance to rumba, ain’t study Patrice Lumumba
But get on the stage and sing like Zumba
Fu*k it, I wonder “What would I do in a next generation?”
Would I fight for justice? Is it the reason my mum named me David?
How can you be king? How can you be king, don’t speak for the people
Them man try draw me out and compare like me and these n!ggas are equal
I’m a black man and this bozo saying my music socially conscious
While the mandem troll the responses
This world’s gone totally bonkers
I some time’s wonder “What would I do in a next generation?”
But I’m knowing the answer, ’cause what am I doing in this generation?
Afraid to speak, ‘cah I don’t wanna risk it my occupation
We got kids on the occupation
My parents they wouldn’t get that
The people that died for out freedom spoke on justice, couldn’t accept that
I talk by the money on all my accounts, so why don’t I speak on the West Bank?
Remember growing up prejudice, the damage 7-7 did
Extremist and terrorist, I was afraid of the Taliban
Can’t speak out on illegal settlers, now I’m afraid of a shadow ban
What would I do in a next generation?
Critiquing African leaders, for selling our country’s natural resources to the west for peanuts

If they don’t hear, they’ll feel us
I question what I’m alive for
Now, can you say you’re alive if you ain’t got something you’re willing to die for?
What am I willing to die for?
What am I doing in this generation?
I get in my head some times, I feel like I’m in dispair
That feeling of total powerlessness, I get that sinking feeling
That good ain’t defeating evil
I put that pain on vinyl, but feel like that s*it ain’t moving the needle
Retweeting people, raising awareness, in all fairness
Ain’t gonna bring Chris back to his parents
But there’s no other option, it’s a process
Gotta stand and protest cah they want man silenced
Cah they want man dead or they want man hopeless
In the next generation I spoke with my ancestors in the night and I showed them
They spoke with tears in their eyes for the brothers they lost and said it was progress
“How can it be progress?” I asked him, confused, disgusted
They said David, just so you can fight this, you know how much suffering touched us?
And you got a chance, we come from a time and a place where you couldn’t get justice
Had to find peace in the fact that we all answer to the one what we trust in
And in our generation, we did do peaceful protest, just like you
Burn buildings, just like you
Did boycotts, just like you
Sat in a hostel powerless, did feel powerless just like you
And I know that it may sound strange, but we made some change and we’re just like you
I know that you question your character
I know that you suffer in silence
I know that it don’t feel right when you go to the club in Victoria Island
‘Cause how can you dance in the club, there’s a hundred people begging outside it
I know the sins of your father, I know that you’re desperate to fight them
So step in your purpose
Speak for your people, share all your secrets
Expose your emotions, you might not see, but there’s people that need it
Never demand it and if God can grant it, manifest it and receive it
Your name is David and that covenant sacred, you gotta promise you’ll keep it
Deep it, let man talk on the ting, but I bleed it
Man wanna speak on the scene, but I seen it
Tried in the fire by Ghetts, I’m anointed
Kano passed me the torch, I received it
God told me I’m the one, I believed it
Shout Hollowman, ’cause he helped me achieve it
I’m the youngest of my brothers, father eased the burden on our mothers
Give these n!ggas money, see their colors
Don’t mix me with them, I’m not the on
rind and miss the summer, when it comes I’m Abraham, I sacrifice the sun
Where I’m from they sacrifice their son
Hold up, I ain’t finished, I ain’t dumb
My ancestors, my ancestors told me that my life is prophecy
And it’s not just me, it’s a whole generation of people gradually making change
There ain’t a greater task
Shift that, make a name, make a star
They don’t know what they’re facing when they ask
With the will of David in my heart
They story of the boy who played the harp