Alice and Beverly Smith released this song on their CD "The Cherry Tree" (2013) and the lyrics are clear. A note in the liner says that "Alice originally wrote this song with another verse, at the time, seemed appropriate about people not being satisfied with their jobs. In the recent and current climate of joblessness and people laid off and out of work, it seemed no longer appropriate.


GET UP AND DO RIGHT
As recorded by Alice Gerrard and Beverly Smith

CHORUS: Get up in the morning and do right.
Don't you get up and go and do wrong.
Get up in the morning and do right,
All day long.

1. You wonder why this world's a-going downhill.
Bigwigs and politicians lie, cheat and steal.
We're doing wrong to people in the name of freedom
Come on, children; come on, now, now.

2. You don't need all the cars and toys you think you need.
Substitute a bit of kindness for all the greed.
Sow a little happiness out in your field.
Come on, children; come on now, now.

3. There's a man downtown; he's a-sleeping on a grate.
A woman's got cuts and bruises showing on her face.
A little baby child needs a refuge place.
Come on children, come on now, now.