The sun shall not smite I by day
Nor the moon by night
And everything that I do
Shall be upfull and right
And if it’s all night
It got to be all right!
If it’s all night
Got to be all right!
Your mamma won’t lose this one
You’re the lucky one under the sun
If you make me move
Then you know you got the groove
All night, it’s all right!
All night, yeah! It’s all right!
Working on a forklift
In the night shift
Working on a night shift
With the forklift
From A.M. (Did you say that? Why did you say that?)
To P.M. (Working all night!)
Working on a night shift, yeah!
(Did you say that? Why did you say that? Upfull and right!)
Well, if it’s (all night!) – if it’s (all right!)
All night (all night!) –
Warehouse (all right!)
You’re empty, yeah!
Go around the corner
Bring your goods!
Go around the other corner
Bring your suitcases. (All night!)
By the sweat of my brow, (All right!)
Eat your bread! (All night!)
By the sweat of my brow, (All right!)
Eat your bread!
All night (all night)! All right (all right)!
All night (all night)! All right (all right)!
Oh, yeah! (moon by night)
Why did you say that? Oh, yeah! (Upfull and right!)
Working on a night shift
With the forklift. (Moon by night!)
Working on the night shift
Oh, yeah! (Upfull and right!)
Finding Light in the Night Shift
“Night Shift” by Bob Marley paints a vivid picture of perseverance and dignity in the face of hard labor. The lyrics evoke the challenges faced by those who work through the night, often unseen but essential. Marley uses upbeat affirmations—”If it’s all night, it got to be all right!”—to emphasize resilience and hope, showing that even under the moonlight, one can strive to live “upfull and right.” The song blends themes of spirituality and everyday struggle, referencing biblical lines like, “The sun shall not smite I by day, nor the moon by night,” to suggest divine protection and inner strength. Marley’s celebration of the working class, set to reggae rhythms, turns a warehouse shift into a testament to human endurance and positivity.
Song Credits
- Artist: Bob Marley
- Songwriters: Bob Marley, Lee “Scratch” Perry
- Release Year: 1976