We're All Working for the Pharoah

Lyrics: copyright 2003 Fred Wersan
Tune and chorus: Pharoah by Richard Thompson

In ancient times the Jews were slaves,
From the cradle to the grave,
The only thing that they could say was
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

From Pharaoh a new law was sworn,
Jewish boys must die when they were born,
All the families were forlorn, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

One mother this could not abide,
Her little Moses, she did hide,
In a basket by the riverside, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

The pharaoh’s daughter she passed by
She heard the baby Moses cry
She brought him home and raised him high, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

Chorus (sort of): And it’s Egypt land, Egypt land,
We’re all slaves in Egypt land,
Egypt land, Egypt land,
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

So Moses grew up in Pharaoh’s hall,
Of his past he could not recall,
But from his mother he learned all, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

When Moses learned he was a Jew
He wasn’t sure what he should do
But his hand was forced when a man he slew, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

An overseer beat on a slave,
But Moses killed him with his stave,
And thus did end his princely days, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

Chorus (sort of):
And it’s Egypt land, Egypt land,
We’re all slaves in Egypt land,
Egypt land, Egypt land,
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

Moses fled to the desert wastes
To be a shepherd seemed his fate
And so he planned to spend his days, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

One day while tending to his ewes,
He heard the God of all the Jews
Give him a task he could not refuse, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

Moses must to Pharaoh go
And tell him, “Let my people go.”
And make it snappy, don’t be slow, cause
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

The Pharaoh laughed in Moses’ face,
Your Hebrew God don’t rule this place,
So God sent forth the fearsome plagues, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

Chorus (sort of):
And it’s Egypt land, Egypt land,
We’re all slaves in Egypt land,
Egypt land, Egypt land,
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

He turned the water into blood
He sent the frogs and lice and flies,
And then all Pharaoh’s cattle died, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

Then Moses to the Pharaoh went
Your decision you can still repent
Before more serious plagues get sent, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

Then Pharaoh said the Jews could go,
But when they tried, the guards said no.
So God sent forth the plagues anew, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

The peoples’ skin broke out in boils,
Hail and locusts beat the soils,
Darkness caused them to recoil, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

Then Moses to the Pharaoh went
Your decision you can still repent
Before the worst of plagues gets sent, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

Then Pharaoh said the Jews could go,
But when they tried, the guards said no.
So God sent forth the plagues anew, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

So Moses to the Jews did say
With lamb’s blood mark your doors this day
And in your houses you must stay, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

Then God struck down all Egypt’s pride.
The first born sons of Egypt died
And Pharaoh on his throne did cry, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

Chorus (sort of):
And it’s Egypt land, Egypt land,
We’re all slaves in Egypt land,
Egypt land, Egypt land,
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

Pharaoh told the Jews to leave
They headed for the Sea of Reeds
At last they thought we will be free, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

They left in haste and could not bake
So unleavened bread they had to make
The very matzo that we break, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

Now Pharaoh in his rage did cry
My son is dead, the Jews must die
And after them his men did ride, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

The Hebrews came unto the sea
There was no where for them to flee
Moses said leave that to me, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

So Moses called to Adonai,
Who told him, “Raise your staff up high,”
The waters parted to Sinai, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

The Hebrews passed through on dry land,
Behind them Pharaoh’s army ran
But the seas did close on every man, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.

The Jews were safe upon the shore
They danced ‘cause they were slaves no more
We tell this story every year, and
We’re all working for the Pharaoh.