Well Martin's dream has become Rodney's worst nightmare
Can't walk the streets, to them we are fair game,
Our lives don't mean a thing

Like a King, like a King, like a King
Rodney King, Rodney King, Rodney King
Like a king, like a King, like a King
How I wish you could help us Dr King

Make sure it's filmed, shown on national TV
They'll have no mercy
A legal lynch mob like the days strung up from the tree
The LAPD

Like a King, like a King, like a King
Rodney King, Rodney King, Rodney King
Like a King, like a King, like a King
How I wish you could help us Dr King

So if you catch yourself thinking it has changed
For the best you better second guess cause Martin's dream
Has become Rodney's worst nightmare

Like a King, like a King, like a King
Rodney King, Rodney King, Rodney King
Like a King, like a King, like a King
How I wish you could help us Dr King
Like a King, like a King, like a King
Like a King, like a King, like a King
Like a King, like a King, like a King
How I wish Like a King, like a King
Like a King, like a King, like a, like a King
Like a King, like a King, like a King

When we will look to the past, look to the past to learn?
I wish
Like a king, like a king, like a king
Like a king, like a king, like a king
Bye, bye we must go to see the King
Bye, bye we must go to face the King

You may write me down in history with your bitter twisted lies,
You may trod me down in the very dirt
And still like the dust, I'll rise
Does my happiness upset you?
Why are you best with gloom cause I laugh,
Like I've got an oil well pumpin' in my living room?

So you may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
And I'll rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise
Out of the shacks of history's shame,
Up from a past rooted in pain,
And I'll rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise

Now did you want to see me broken,
Bowed head and lowered eyes,
Shoulders fallen down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries
Does my confidence upset you?
Don't you take it awful hard cause I walk,
Like I've got a diamond mine breakin' up in my front yard

So you may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
And I'll rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise
Out of the shacks of history's shame,
Up from a past rooted in pain,
And I'll rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise

So you may write me down in history with your bitter twisted lies
You may trod me down in the very dirt
And still like the dust, I'll rise
Does my happiness upset you?
Why are you best with gloom cause I laugh,
Like I've got a goldmine diggin' up in my living room

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
And I'll rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise
Out of the shacks of history's shame,
Up from a past rooted in pain,
And I'll rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
And I'll rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise
Out of the shacks of history's shame,
Up from a past rooted in pain,
I'll rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise
I gonna rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise
I'll rise - I'll rise - I'll rise - rise - rise