People moving out, people moving in
Why? Because of the colour of their skin
Run, run, run but you just can't hide
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth
Vote for me and I'll set you free
Rap on, rap on, brother, rap on
Well, the only person talking about love today is the preacher
And it seems nobody's interested in learning but the teacher
Segregation, determination, demonstration, integration
Aggravation, humiliation, devastation of our nation
Ball of confusion
That's what the world is today, hey, hey
Ball of confusion
That's what the world is today, hey, hey
The sale of pills are at an all-time high
Who put the fillin' in the pie in the sky
The cities aflame in the summer time
And the beat goes on
And the beat goes on
And the beat goes on
Economics, Reaganomics, birth control, the status quo
Shooting rockets to the moon, kids growing up too soon
The politicians say
And the band played on
So, 'round and around and around we go
Where the world's headed, nobody knows
Ball of confusion
That's what the world is today, hey, hey
Ball of confusion
That's what the world is today, hey, hey
Hey, hey
Fear in the air, tension everywhere
Unemployment rising fast ([...] price of gas)
And the band played on
And the band played on
And the band played on
And the band played
Eve of destruction, tax deduction, city inspectors, bill collectors
Solid bold in demand, population out of hand, suicide
Too many beers, hippies movin' to the hills
People all over the world are dying in the war
And the band played on
And the band played on
And the band played on
And the band played
Ball of confusion
That's what the world is today, hey, hey (hey)
Ball of confusion
That's what the world is today, hey, hey
Ball of confusion (ball of confusion)
That's what the world is today, hey, hey (hey)
Ball of confusion (ball of confusion)
That's what the world is today, hey, hey
Ball of confusion, ball of confusion
Ball of confusion, ball of confusion
Ball of confusion
That's what the world is today, hey, hey
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
Ball of confusion
That's what the world is today, hey, hey
Ball of confusion
That's what the world is today, hey, hey
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
Hey, hey