Lyrics:

[Verse 1: Youssou N'Dour (in Wolof)]
Boul ma sene, boul ma guiss madi re nga fokni mane
Khamouma li neka thi sama souf ak thi guinaw
Beugouma kouma khol oaldine yaw li neka si yaw
Mo ne si man, li ne si mane moye dilene diapale

[Verse 2: Neneh Cherry]
Roughneck and rudeness, we should be using
On the ones who practiced wicked charms
For the sword and the stone, bad to the bone
Battle's not over even when it's won
And when a child is born into this world
It has no concept of the tone it's skin living in

[Chorus:]
It's not a second, 7 seconds away
Just as long as I stay, I'll be waiting
It's not a second, 7 seconds away
Just as long as I stay, I'll be waiting
I'll be waiting
I'll be waiting

[Verse 3: Youssou N'Dour (in French)]
J'assume les raisons qui nous poussent de changer tout
J'aimerais qu'on oublie leur couleur pour qu'ils esperent
Beaucoup de sentiments de races qui font qu'ils desesperent
Je veux les deux mains ouvertes
Des amis pour parler de leur peine, de leur joie
Pour qu'ils leur filent des infos qui ne divisent pas
Changer
[Chorus:]
It's not a second, 7 seconds away
Just as long as I stay, I'll be waiting
It's not a second, 7 seconds away
Just as long as I stay, I'll be waiting
I'll be waiting
I'll be waiting

[Neneh Cherry:]
And when a child is born into this world
It has no concept of the tone the skin it's living in
And there's a
[Youssou N'Dour:]
Million voices
[Neneh Cherry:]
And there's a
[Youssou N'Dour:]
Million voices
[Neneh Cherry:]
To tell you what you should be thinking
So you better sober up for just a second

[Chorus:]
We're 7 seconds away
For just as long as I stay, I'll be waiting
It's not a second, we're 7 seconds away
For just as long as I stay, I'll be waiting
It's not a second, we're 7 seconds away
Just as long as I stay, I'll be waiting
It's not a second, we're 7 seconds away
Just as long as I stay, I'll be waiting
It's not a second, we're 7 seconds away