Inspired by Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee, joint winner of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, led women to defy feared warlords and pushed men toward peace during one of Africa's bloodiest wars.

» highest in charts:   # 193   (79,105 songs currently listed in World)
» highest in sub-genre:   # 50   (22,908 songs currently listed in World > World General)

Tommy Hellsten mixed this song.

The Lion Sleeps Too Long
(Ode to African Women)
© March 28, 2012 Stan Loh.

Inspired by Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee, joint winner of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, led women to defy feared warlords and pushed men toward peace during one of Africa's bloodiest wars.

Verse 1
The unlucky will dance hungry with the band,
Showing bodies, selling flesh when they can,
A lucky few can smell the peace, eating sumptuous feast,
In a world so dark someone’s desperate,
Wearing violence as their fate,
Now the lusty warlord shows his fangs.
With ridiculous laws and gangs …

Chorus
Oh the lion sleeps too long,
He sleeps till noon and beyond,
But not till he deflowers young maidens,
Through the desperate cries of the chosen,
By his foul undoing in the den.

Verse 2
The land of dark shows no mercy for the weak,
Where the innocent and the young are bought with weed,
They become the currency of outstanding gifts,
How can you sleep with this suffering?
And all the bloody pillaging?
Does the smell of blood make you strong?
When the battle songs are sung wrong …
Repeat Chorus

Verse 3
The unafraid gather daily side by side,
They will oust the lion and his pride!
The maniac now attacks from the back,
Burning village after village razing hell-fired shacks,
And the smiling warlord bribes the state.
With ebony girls on a plate …
Repeat Chorus