Lyrics of Soldier - Tiken Jah Fakoly, Akon

Soldier (original)

Soldier soldier
He american soldier
Soldier soldier soldier
He british soldier
Quelle est la mère qui t’a laissé partir
Un beau matin plantée sur le tarmac
D’un aéroport de Londres ou d’Atlanta?
Y a dans ses yeux comme des lacs
Et cette femme qui t’a dit «Rentre»
Qui a peut-être vingt ans de moins
Sa main posée sur son ventre
Cache peut-être un orphelin
Est-ce que cinquante et une étoiles
Valent tous ces morts et ces larmes?
Oui, est-ce qu’elles valent autant de balles
Autant de cris autant de larmes?
Say Mama l’m gone
And I don’t know when I’ll be back again
My homeland is at war
Whether we’re right or wrong
I’ll call you soon so we can check again
We can discuss this some more
I know that it hurts you to know that
I’m so far from home
Hurts you to know so many things gone wrong
Ask yourself why not someone else’s son
But I’m chosen to be the one to drop this bomb
T’as cru mourir au champ d’honneur
Ce n’est qu’un champ de pétrole
La liberté ce n’est qu’un leurre
Quand elle est Jihad ou Croisade
Who ever thought that I’ll be fighting miles away
Who ever thought that freedom wouldn’t come my way
And I try to just forget it
Never could regret it
The President said it
The world led it
Oh Mama send my love
To my sisters and brothers
I’m a soldier just like my father
Don’t cry for me please don’t cry
This was meant to be
T’as cru mourir au champ d’honneur
Ce n’est qu’un jeu de pouvoir
C’est le soldat qui meurt
Et rarement le Général
Qui lui met la main sur le coeur
Quand le tien reçoit une balle
D’ailleurs c’est le soldat qui meurt
Et rarement Monsieur le Général
Soldat chicano des favellas
Soldat noir de tous les ghettos
Soldat de toutes les couleurs
Tu es peut-être mort pour rien

(translation)

soldier soldier
he american soldier
soldier soldier soldier
he british soldier
Who is the mother who let you go
One fine morning planted on the tarmac
From a London or Atlanta airport?
There are lakes in his eyes
And that woman who told you "Come home"
Who's maybe twenty years younger
Her hand resting on her belly
Maybe hiding an orphan
Is fifty-one stars
Are all those deaths and tears worth?
Yes, are they worth that many bullets
So many cries so many tears?
Say Mama l'm gone
And I don't know when I'll be back again
My homeland is at war
Whether we're right or wrong
I'll call you soon so we can check again
We can discuss this some more
I know that it hurts you to know that
I'm so far from home
Hurts you to know so many things gone wrong
Ask yourself why not someone else's son
But I'm chosen to be the one to drop this bomb
You thought you died on the field of honor
It's just an oil field
Freedom is just a lure
When she's Jihad or Crusade
Who ever thought that I'll be fighting miles away
Who ever thought that freedom wouldn't come my way
And I try to just forget it
Never could regret it
The President said it
The world led it
Oh Mama send my love
To my sisters and brothers
I'm a soldier just like my father
Don't cry for me please don't cry
This was meant to be
You thought you died on the field of honor
It's just a power play
It's the soldier who dies
And rarely the General
Who puts his hand on his heart
When yours gets a bullet
Besides, it's the soldier who dies
And rarely Mr. General
chicano soldier from the favellas
Black soldier from all ghettos
Soldier of all colors
You may have died for nothing