Misunderstanding is not a good ting you know
It can put you into bad trouble.
I know Miss Jones and I know Miss Joe
But I don't know Miss Understanding
Please don't let me be misunderstood.
I know a man by the name of Joe
That lived way down into the country and way up into the hills
That man nuh have nothing like electricity
So him nuh have no TV wha' him watch
And him nuh have no radio wha' him listen to
Him only have a little mongrel dog wha' bark and keep him company
Him can't read so him nuh read the papers
And every now and then, him come to town to buy another machete or a file
So mi tell you seh, Joe people who live in America seh dem a-go file for him to come up to America to live.
Joe talk to himself him people mean to say they would buy a big file fi sharpen him machete
So Joe said "Alright".
But they had to explain to him that they were gonna look 'bout the papers for him to come up and live in America.
So Joe begin to pack him favorite shoes, and him favorite socks
Him favorite hat and him favorite pants,
and him favorite everything into his case...
Him nearly pack him dog Bruno too.
So you know Joe is a man who wasn't going to leave his machete
Because he is a real cutlass man
So Joe put the machete within the case
When time him reach at the American Embassy
The immigration officers dem begin to search the case and find the machete in it
And ask him _"Tell us Joe, what are you doing with this machete?"_
Him seh, "I want it to chop bush sah. I am a real machete man"
Him ask again, _"What do you want this machete to do?"_
Him seh, "I want it to chop bush sah. I am a real machete man.
I know how to handle this cutlass. You see how it sharp and and big.
I would chop from the bass until the treble
I would chop from the hill unto the level"
"Because time is hard and time is tough And it is rough,
That is the reason I have to have this cutlass."
So by this time Joe thought to himself that by making such a statement, that he was defending himself
Not knowing that he was putting himself deeper and deeper into hard trouble and hot water
So now the immigration officers take him and lock him up
And appoint a day unto court unto him.
On the day of court, the judge said to him
_"Joe, I understand that your crime is that you said you were going to chop Bush with this machete"_
Him said "Yes your honor. I am here. I am going to chop bush with this machete.
I am not here to sell opium, cocaine, heroine, morphine, or marijuana."
"I am not here to sell crack
I am here to chop and I am here to chop bush with this machete"
"I would chop from the bass until the treble
I would chop from the hill unto the level
I am here to chop sah."
What a thing happened to poor old Joe.
Just because of mis-under-standing.
They thought that Joe was going to chop up the American president with the machete.
So it is better if you say that you are going to chop grass or you going to chop weed
But don't say you are going to chop bush.
Because Joe right now end up into prison and there he shall rot
Just because of misunderstanding
So misunderstanding is not a good thing, me a tell you.
It can cause you much pain
It can cause you to go jail
Me a tell you, what a thing happened to old Joe...
Lyrics Submitted by Jamaican Man
Lyrics provided by https://damnlyrics.com/