My people are rising; they''re living in lies.
Even if they have to die
Even if they have to die at the moment they know what life is
Even at that one moment that ya know what life is
If you have to die, it''s all right
Cause you know what life is
You know what freedom is for one moment of your life

But he had seen the mountaintop
And he knew he could not stop
Always living with the threat of death ahead
Folks you''d better stop and think
Everybody knows we''re on the brink
What will happen, now that the King is dead?

We can all shed tears; it won''t change a thing
Teach your people: Will they ever learn?
Must you always kill with burn and burn with guns
And kill with guns and burn - don''t you know how we gotta react?

But he had seen the mountaintop
And he knew he could not stop
Always living with the threat of death ahead
Folks you''d better stop and think
Everybody knows we''re on the brink
What will happen, now that the King of love is dead?