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Cover Art

Roots Lyrics by Show of Hands

Witness

0

[Intro]
Yeah, yeah

[Verse 1]
Now it's been twenty-five years or more
I've roamed this land from shore to shore
From Tyne to Tamar, Severn to Thames
From moor to vale, from peak to fen

[Verse 2]
Played in cafes and pubs and bars
I've stood in the street with my old guitar
But I'd be richer than all the rest
If I had a pound for each request

[Pre-Chorus]
For "Duelling Banjos," "American Pie"
It's enough to make you cry
"Rule Britannia" or "Swing Low"
Are they the only songs we English know?

[Chorus]
Seed, bark, flower, fruit
They're never gonna grow without their roots
Branch, stem, shoots
They need roots
Yeah, yeah

[Verse 3]
Well, after the speeches, when the cake's been cut
The disco's over and the bar is shut
At christening, birthday, wedding or wake
What can we sing until the morning breaks?

[Pre-Chorus]
When the Indians, Asians, Afro-Celts
It's in their blood, below their belt
They're playing and dancing all night long
So what have they got right that we've got wrong?

[Chorus]
Seed, bark, flower, fruit
Never gonna grow without their roots
Branch, stem, shoot
We need roots

[Post-Chorus]
And haul away boys, let them go
Out in the wind and the rain and snow
We've lost more than we'll ever know
'Round the rocky shores of England
Haul away boys, let them go
Out in the wind and the rain and snow
We've lost more than we'll ever know
'Round the rocky shores of England
We need roots
We need roots

[Verse 4]
And a minister said his vision of hell
Is three folk singers in a pub near Wells
Well, I've got a vision of urban sprawl
There's pubs where no one ever sings at all

[Pre-Chorus]
And everyone stares at a great big screen
Overpaid soccer stars, prancing teens
Australian soap, American rap
Estuary English, baseball caps
And we learn to be ashamed before we walk
Of the way we look and the way we talk
Without our stories or our songs
How will we know where we come from?
I've lost St. George in the Union Jack
It's my flag too and I want it back

[Chorus]
Seed, bark, flower, fruit
Never gonna grow without their roots
Branch, stem, shoot
We need roots

[Post-Chorus]
And haul away boys, let them go
Out in the wind and the rain and snow
We've lost more than we'll ever know
'Round the rocky shores of England
Haul away boys, let them go
Out in the wind and the rain and snow
We've lost more than we'll ever know
'Round the rocky shores of England
Haul away boys, let them go
Out in the wind and the rain and snow
We've lost more than we'll ever know
'Round the rocky shores of England
Haul away boys, let them go
Out in the wind and the rain and snow
We've lost more than we'll ever know
'Round the rocky shores of England
Haul away boys, let them go
Out in the wind and the rain and snow
We've lost more than we'll ever know
'Round the rocky shores of England
Haul away boys, let them go
Out in the wind and the rain and snow
We've lost more than we'll ever know
'Round the rocky shores of England

[Outro]
Haul away boys, let them go
We've lost more than we'll ever know
'Round the rocky shores of England
Haul away boys, let them go
We've lost more than we'll ever know
'Round the rocky shores of England
We need roots
Credits
Show of Hands

Show of Hands

About “Roots” by Show of Hands

Read the complete lyrics to "Roots" by Show of Hands from the album "Witness". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.

"Roots" is performed by Show of Hands. from the album "Witness" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Roots", explore more songs by Show of Hands using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Show of Hands · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Roots" is credited to Show of Hands. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Roots" appears on "Witness".

Visit the Show of Hands artist page at /artist/show-of-hands for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.

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