Palm oil on the ledger, red earth on the

[Verse 1] Palm oil on the ledger, red earth on the hands Warrant chief's new title built on British demands My grandfather's father counted yams not men Now the District Officer calls me "Ovie" again [Chorus] They gave us crowns of paper to sign the land away We wear them like our fathers wore—pretending it's the same Crowns of paper, crowns of paper [Verse 2] The church bell rings at seven, the drumbeat's been erased My son speaks English faster than the old tongue's grace He'll inherit this chieftaincy—a colonial antique While Lagos lawyers draft the deeds that make the strong man weak [Chorus] They gave us crowns of paper to sign the land away We wear them like our fathers wore—pretending it's the same Crowns of paper, crowns of paper [Bridge] (Spoken, over single highlife guitar line) *Ovia r'Urhobo... the river does not ask permission to change its course* *But the bridge still charges toll* [Outro] Crowns of paper... Crowns of paper...