The Palace of Justice is burning down
And all of the children from the town
Are singing songs and playing games
And flinging stones into the flames

At last the fire brigade has come
They're dressed in rags and drunk on rum
They're staggering blindly in the night
Their buckets are sloshing left and right

But now the children form a line
They're waiting in silence for a sign
A moon-faced child of nine or ten
Throws back her head and hollers, When!

And now the first barrage of stones
Sends half of the firemen rushing home
And when the second barrage arrives
The rest of the firemen flee for their lives
And as the children storm the town
The Palace of Justice is still burning down

And they sing:
La de-da da, de-da da, de-da da
De-da da, de-da da, de-da da

The Palace of Justice is burning down
And all of the soldiers from the town
Have left their posts to watch the show
They stand enraptured by the glow

The fire is spreading to the trees
And sparks are flying like angry bees
And as the children start to riot
And bloody screams disturb the night
The soldiers march into the throng
And as they march they sing this song:

La de-da da, de-da da, de-da da
De-da da, de-da da, de-da da

The Palace of Justice is burning down
The morning sun is streaked with brown
And all the prisoners locked inside
Have long since breathed in smoke and died
And as the children take the town
The Palace of Justice is still burning down

And they sing:
La de-da da, de-da da, de-da da
De-da da, de-da da, de-da da