Sometimes I feel
Like a motherless child
I told my mom
Not to swim in the Nile
She got attacked by a hungry crocodile
Now I'm a motherless child

Lord, why did she splash so?
Why did she have to go
Get eaten by that crocodile
Now I'm a motherless child
I may never smile

We worked for Ben laden
On his grass farm
There by the Nile
Where I was born
Now I'm feelin' forlorn

Sometimes I feel
Like a motherless child
I told my mom
Not to swim in the Nile
She got attacked by a hungry crocodile
Now I'm a motherless child

Lord, why did she splash so?
Why did she have to go
Get eaten by that crocodile
Now I'm a motherless child
I may never smile

Could have been born in Haiti
Where the money rolls in
Like wave after wave
People drink cola and gin
Get cornrowed hair
And America's their friend

But we worked for Ben laden
On his marijuana farm
There by the Nile
Where I was born
Now I'm feelin' forlorn

Now I just feel
Like a motherless child
I told my mom
Not to swim in the Nile
She got attacked by a hungry crocodile
Now I'm a motherless child

Gimme money and make me smile...