Lyrics Joe Jackson

Joe Jackson

Battleground

Black nigger white nigger standing in the dark

Listen to the rhythm of the bass boom

Black nigger takes a hit sending up a spark

In the dark heat

Swaying a little to the bass beat

White nigger takes a hit takes money out

Says this is what it's all about

Rots your brain - who cares

Black nigger stares

White nigger sighs

I like your music

I like your style

I crack a joke so why don't you smile

White nigger dancing out on the floor tonight

The band's not good but the beat seems right

The band's all black and the floor's all white

Clenching fists unite and fight

Rock Against Racism rules tonight

But in the real world

No-one rules

But fists are clenched all right

Down in the Underground

Out in the playground

The common ground

is a Battleground

Now you don't have to be black to be a nigger no more

The writing's on the wall

Say - black is power

White is flower

Divided we fall

And behind the wall

behind the door,

In the dark heat

In the rhythm of the bass beat

Something is wrong

And no-one is taking the blame