Big brother

Recorded somewhere in the 90s, this recording just sat on the shelf doing nothing. But when considering the state of our nations, and how the state strive to control people and abuse power, it is still relevant, probably more relevant, now.

Words by Benjamin Zephaniah
Music by Benjamin Zephaniah
Copyright RED DREAD MUSIC 2023


Big Brother

Tax you till your dead, and give you no future
Your name and address is on his computer,
Talk amongst yourselves, Aint nothing you can do,
Wherever you may be, Big Brother is watching you.

Big Brother has a very big sister
Dirty money lovers just can’t resist her,
Turns on the masses like a page three girl
Turns off your senses and controls your world,
Big Brother has a satellite dish
A spy in the sky, and he poisoned the fish
He poison the food, and he poisoned your rain,
He got a wicked idea and poisoned your brain.

Big Brother’s looking at you, Big Sister at his side,
Said he got you covered, take it in your stride,
Don’t bother get upset now, you were warned before,
Just prepare for a showdown when he knocks on your door.
You can’t judge him by his colours,
Bluey grey don’t glow,
Tell your sisters and your brother
He’s come to wreck the show
He don’t consider judgment time
Tries to play god too, so just sign the dotted line,
Big Bother is watching you.

Big Bother is watching you Dekho
Big Bother is watching you You know
Big Bother is watching you it’s true
Big Bother is watching you ooh

In his patrol car staking out your life
Doing evil deeds in the station at night
Cruising up the highway, or burning up the motorway
He got you on video, listening to what you say.
Loving on the back seat it don’t matter
Mr big brother tunes into your chatter,
Like a voyeur at the local zoo, Big Bother is watching you.

He studied you and filmed you for his documentary
Upon your wall he was a fly, upon you cat a flea,
You said that you won’t deal with him, well he will deal with you,
You don’t have to invite him in, Big Bother is watching you.

He has got our music on a micro chip
He can hear us moaning from an off shore ship
Tuned in to your turn on, hidden in the barcode
He’s into aviation, and damaging the ozone.

Nosing in your business, tapping on you phone,
You may not want to hear this, but he is in your home,
As for the homeless he is with you there,
He could help you out but he don’t really care,
He could stop the war, and educate the masses,
He won’t help the workers, he drinks with the bosses,
He could feed the hungry, but he walks away,
When I get this angry, I let me guitar play.

Big Bother has a house in the city,
A house in the country and outer space,
When you get down to the nitty gritty
Big Brother has an interface,
So know why you dance, know why you love,
Know why you sing, he checks that too,
If you feel out of place and you don’t know a thing. Know this,
Big Bother is watching you.

Big Bother is watching you Dekho
Big Bother is watching you You know
Big Bother is watching you It’s true
Big Bother is watching you Watching you
Big Bother is watching you It’s clear
Big Bother is watching you Beware
Big Bother is watching you Look out
Big Bother is watching you No doubt


Benjamin Zephaniah