Written by jay kay, stuart zender and toby smith

you say you fight to give us freedom
but often more than not this is abused
and the faces of a tired generation
have decided they are sick of being used
for the purpose of current declarations
still the same, it will never change until the end
is to buy the appreciation of the nation
to cover the mistakes you must defend
and you say there will be a chance for eveyone
to protest against your calculated greed
but i can see into the future
won't be long before the welfare
send me letters telling me how much they need
and it's not been in my interest to please them
for the only interest rate to fall is mine
see a brand new generation is demanding
what you've been doing with our money all this time

scam, people try to live at the speed of light
scam, don't know why but i've got to do the things i do
scam, give me ten, that's the move i give you five
scam, people say it's the way to stay alive

so you see you have to be a schemer
if you wanna love the life you have to live
and i don't matter how much i earn
cos i always get my fingers burned
when the man gets down to his business
and i've been searching for a reason
why i have to give it all up just i want to get ahead
see i had to lose car, job, wife, dog and home
debts and threats on the phone
maybe i should bust a move instead
now we all know when we watch television
not confused between a puppet or conviction
glued to the screen by a thousand shallow words of wisdom
it ain't what it seems when it's a single sided system
someone's got to hold on my living
so i'm gonna have to do the thing that's fair
they got to justify for what i should be giving
should i lie, should i steal or should i care
cos now i've got to scam!