Crabs In A Barrel - Kool & The Gang

Stop the jealousy

We’ve gotta stop the envy

All my brothers and my sisters

We’ll turn this thing around

My father died when I was ten

But mother never spent much time with him

Papa was a rollin' stone

He left eight girls and three boys

Mama said, «Just trust in the Lord

And follow His Golden Rule»

Now I’m a professional

The girls are all doing wonderful

We fought our way from poverty

Bought mom a house on the hill

So she could have a better place to live

Pay back for the life she’s given me

Some people in the neighborhood

Say now we think we’re too good

'Cause we found a better way

They say that we sold out

From the ghetto we got out

Why, people, do you treat us this way?

We’re just like

Crabs in a barrel, yes, we’re the same

You try to get out, they pull you back again

Like crabs in a barrel, hear what I say

It’s dog-eat-dog

We gotta know how to play the game

There’s a child prodigy, gifted from infancy

Greatness was his destiny, hey

He studied hard, played no ball

At seven years played Carnegie Hall

Broadway and overseas

He read about black history

Find out from which he came to be

Not long ago his people were set free

And every night he would pray

Thank God for another day

And for bringing us out of misery

Some people in the neighborhood

Say now we think he’s too good

And he’s young, gifted and black

They say that we sold out

From the ghetto he got out

Why, people, do you treat him this way?

We’re just like

Crabs in a barrel, yes, we’re the same

You try to get out, they pull you back again

Like crabs in a barrel, hear what I say

Ah, it’s dog-eat-dog

Gotta know how to play the game

Like crabs in a barrel, we’re the same now

You try to get out, they pull you back again

Like crabs in a barrel, hear what I say

Well, it’s dog-eat-dog

You gotta know how to play the game

Crabs in a barrel, yes, we’re the same

You try to get out, they pull you back again

Like crabs in a barrel, you hear what I say

Well, it’s dog-eat-dog

You gotta know how to play the game

Like crabs in a barrel, whoo!

We’re just like crabs in a barrel

Whoo!

Crabs in a barrel, yes, we’re the same

Try to get out

All of my brothers, they gave me the ghetto

All of the love that we need to be loved