In ships they came from Europe, across the salt sea
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Come for the build and raise a colony
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And in the jungle green their citadels did gleam
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In tribute and homage to the old country
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And soon their children grew and promised to be true
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Orphans of an Empire their destiny
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Chorus:
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Hold me close Africa
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Fill my soul Africa
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Let me grow old, Africa
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Let me in
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Fill my soul Africa
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Don¡¯t let me go, Africa
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Let me grow old, Africa
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And remember me
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Imperial gentleman, he built mighty walls
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And in the jungle atternoon he plays polo when he¡¯s bored
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He sips a gin and tonic and tells you confidentially
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He wishes he understood the indiginies
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But the shadows they are lengthening and the sun it must set
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Bewildered and confused he scurries home to his bed
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Chorus
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He cannot understand the soldiers all at hand
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For with guns you cannot fight a foe that dwells within
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But the batlle had begun and a soldier he¡¯s become
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Who can sing his litany?
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It's a beggarman¡¯s prayer or a string on the wind
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Will that be all that lingers on the memory?
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And who will remember that African December?
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When he knelt before the colors and swore to do or die?
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And he kissed his frightened lover, beneath the glowing embers
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Of that dark, strange heaven, that ancient sky
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Now he's gone to dust, just like all good soldiers must
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But the mournful mutter of the battlefield still lingers in the air
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So it's farewell sweet Caroline, farewell Elizabeth
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Goodbye gentle ladies of the old order
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And farewell to your islands carved upon this continent
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Some England, some France and some Germany
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Soon you will return to that dream across the sea
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Cause here is no more honey left for tea
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Chorus
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Orphans of the empire
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Johnny Clegg & Savuka |