Bob Marley’s Orphan Son

Bob Marley’s Orphan Son
by Tom Chapin
© The Last Music Co. (ASCAP)

See that photo on the wall, looks like old Mexico.
That’s this town, this jungle beach, just 6 years ago.
Then they build the hotel and they knock the jungle down,
Touristas come a-flockin’ all aroun’.

The German and the Français and the English love this place,
They got money in their pocket, they got sunburn in their face.
In the cool of the evening they come strolling down the street,
Looking for a happy place to eat,
“Amigo! Çerveza! Margarita!”
I am a Rasta man in the Yucatan,
Jammin’ and a-banging on the drum.
Under the Maya moon I play a reggae tune
Like Bob Marley’s orphan son.
Like Bob Marley’s orphan son.

Pablo in the dreadlocks, he owns the sound system,
I collect the money, keep the peace and beat the drum.
Miguel he knows all the words, he play chink chink guitar.
Hector plays the bass and drives the car.
We are a Rasta band in the Yucatan,
We be jammin’ we be banging on the drum.
Under the Maya moon I play a reggae tune
Like Bob Marley’s orphan son.
Oyo, like Bob Marley’s orphan son.

Someday a big producer from the States is gonna see
How we play the good Reggae, we’ll cut our own CD.
Till then we smile at the pretty women and we laugh at the ugly men
Who fly in for the sun and then fly home again.
“Amigo! Insalata! Pollo!”
We sing of Babylon in the Yucatan,
We be jammin’ we be banging on the drum.
Under the Maya moon we sing a reggae tune
Like Bob Marley’s orphan son.
Oyo, I am Bob Marley’s orphan son.

This song appears on Tom Chapin's Common Ground CD.

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