Don't cry my baby,
don't cry all the while
Don't cry my baby,
just give me a smile
Seen my daddy die in the war
Seen my mamma die cryin' for
A ring a, a ring a,
but I've got to sing
A ring a, a ring a,
but I've got to sing
They call me a hound-dog
They call me a swine
It's all because of my colour
For their war though I'm fine
A ring a, a ring a,
but I've got to sing
A ring a, a ring a,
but I've got to sing
They're talkin' 'bout freedom,
of religion and race
But if you're a negro
they slap you in the face
A ring a, a ring a,
but I've got to sing
A ring a, a ring a,
but I've got to sing
So what's the use to fightin'
for that sacred democracy
When the Ku Klux Klan murd'rers
are going scot-free
A ring a, a ring a,
but I've got to sing
A ring a, a ring a,
but I've got to sing
But I'm still happy,
so don't cry my babe
Together we'll strife for
bein' free people some day
Oh ring, ring,
so we've got to sing
Ring, ring,
together we will sing
don't cry all the while
Don't cry my baby,
just give me a smile
Seen my daddy die in the war
Seen my mamma die cryin' for
A ring a, a ring a,
but I've got to sing
A ring a, a ring a,
but I've got to sing
They call me a hound-dog
They call me a swine
It's all because of my colour
For their war though I'm fine
A ring a, a ring a,
but I've got to sing
A ring a, a ring a,
but I've got to sing
They're talkin' 'bout freedom,
of religion and race
But if you're a negro
they slap you in the face
A ring a, a ring a,
but I've got to sing
A ring a, a ring a,
but I've got to sing
So what's the use to fightin'
for that sacred democracy
When the Ku Klux Klan murd'rers
are going scot-free
A ring a, a ring a,
but I've got to sing
A ring a, a ring a,
but I've got to sing
But I'm still happy,
so don't cry my babe
Together we'll strife for
bein' free people some day
Oh ring, ring,
so we've got to sing
Ring, ring,
together we will sing
×
![]()
"Ring, Ring I've Got to Sing" is a 1966 protest song composed and performed by Ferre Grignard.
It became an international hit. The song criticizes racism and war through an African-American who doesn't want to fight for his country, because of the way black people are treated in the United States.