Whoa deh deh, oh lord 
Whoa these words, these words of thy mouth 
Whoa deh deh, woh these words, yes now 

I lift my head unto the almighty god 
He showed me what I had he said 
Stand firm and beat thy drums 
An prepare all thy children of Israel 
Then wait for thy coming d-a-a-a-why 

So I beat the kette drum 
And mek it sound in a Jerusalem 
And echo round a Jordon-dan-dan 
Beat di kette drum an mek it sound in a Bethlehem 
Echo up in a Zion 

So man mi beat di kette, kette 
Beat di kette drum 'cause man a no streggae, streggae 
From di kette drum unoo get di reggae, reggae 
People dem a come an all a say, say ,say ,say 
Never know say shocking vibes did deh, deh, deh, deh 
Africans a sing a lot a yelleh, yelleh 
Beat di kette drum an mek we 
Woh, nigh, nigh, Africans a come an dem a 
Woh, nigh, nigh, that's why mi sing say 

Beat di kette drum an mek it sound in a Jerusalem 
An echo back in a Jordan-dan-dan 
Beat di kette drum mek it sound in a Bethlehem 
An echo back in a Zion-on-on 

So Bingi Man a beat di kette drum, knock di kette drum 
Lick di kette drum Congo Man deh come down 
Kick di kette drum, knock di kette drum 
Lick di kette drum, Guad Man a come 
Marcus Garvey was a prophet, but him still dis di king 
Call di king all a coward, and fly a flag against him 
Marcus Garvey face death, a could a judgement tek him 
But Selassie done did bless him 
But 1966 when di king come visit 
Ole heap a kette drum a beat a rastaman a beat it 
Welve tribe from Israel, Gaud Man dem star it 
Watch di bobo dread come, come join it 
Well house a dread a come 

Beat di kette drum, knock di kette drum 
Beat di kette drum, Bingi Man deh come down 
Lick di kette drum, bust di kette drum 
Knock di kette drum, Congo Man deh come down 
Fi beat di kette drum an mek it sound in a Jerusalem 
An echo up in a Jordan-dan-dan 
Kick di kette drum an mek it sound in a Bethlehem 
An echo up in a Zion, one more time 
Beat di kette drum an mek it sound in a Jerusalem 
Echo back round a Jordan-dan-dan 
Lick di kette drum an mek it sound in a Bethlehem 
Whoa lord, lord, woh nigh 

Whoa, all sons of Selassie me a talk 
If unoo love di reggae music, mek di kette drum talk 
Indian a beat di kette drum when a war 
Ethiopian a answer back from far 
Now Jamaicans a beat di kette an a dance 
People all a jump an prance 
But hear mi sing 

Beat di kette drum, knock di kette drum 
Gimmi di kette drum til morning come down 
Lick di kette drum, knock di kette drum 
Gimmi di kette drum til a morning come 

I lift my head unto the almighty god 
He showed me what I had he said 
Stand firm and beat thy drums 
An prepare all thy children of Israel 
Then wait for thy coming d-a-a-a-why 

So I beat the kette drum 
And mek it sound in a Jerusalem 
And echo round a Jordon-dan-dan 
Beat di kette drum an mek it sound in a Bethlehem 
Echo up in a Zion 

Beat di kette drum, bust di kette drum 
Lick di kette drum til a morning come down 
Beat di kette drum, knock di kette drum 
Beat di kette til a morning, woh lord 

Beat di kette drum an mek it sound in a Jerusalem 
An echo back round a Jordan-dan-dan 
Beat di kette drum an mek it sound in a Bethlehem