tohre gun gaate gaate, din bita rain aa chali
kab loge prabhu mori khabariya, der bahut ho chali
allahabad me paida hui
allahabad me paida hui, mai jabalpur me pali
ab bambai hain adda mera, ye badnam si gali
mera naam hai ram hai ramkali

kaise aai kaha aayi ye jawani mat pucho
sharm aate hai tauba ye kahani mat pucho
ke ha shalimar ke bag me khilake banee phul ye kale
ab bambai hain adda mera, ye badnam si gali
mera naam hai ram hai ramkali

kaha se ye soj aaya kaha se saj maine sikhe
arj kiya hai bade bade ustado se ye andaj maine sikhe
ke ha nayi purani dilli ki tadpakar bhi mai chali
ab bambai hain adda mera, ye badnam si gali
mera naam hai ram hai ramkali

rab khuth na bulaye kadardan har jagah hain
meharbano mere meharban har jagah hain
toh rab khud na bulaye kadardan har jagah hain
ke ha lucknow ke rangin shehar me shama mai ban ke jali
ab bambai hain adda mera, ye badnam si gali
meraa naam hai ram hai ramkali

allahabad me paida hui, mai jabalpur me pali
ab bambai hain adda mera, ye badnam si gali
mera naam hai ram hai ramkali

Singing your praise, day bleeds into night,
Oh Lord, when will you heed my plight?
Too long I've waited, the hours now flee.
Born in Allahabad's dust,
In Jabalpur, my youth took root,
Now Bombay's my stage, a street of ill repute,
Ramkali is my name, chanting Ram, Ram too.

How I arrived, where I came, do not ask,
Shame engulfs me, this story a task.
Like a bud in Shalimar's garden, I bloomed then,
Now Bombay's my stage, a street of ill repute,
Ramkali is my name, chanting Ram, Ram too.

Where did this sorrow surge, this music begin?
From maestros' hands, this art I spun,
In old Delhi, I yearned and I strained,
Now Bombay's my stage, a street of ill repute,
Ramkali is my name, chanting Ram, Ram too.

Though God may not call, admirers abound,
Kind hearts are everywhere, on hallowed ground.
Though God may not call, admirers abound,
In Lucknow's vibrant city, a candle I've been,
Now Bombay's my stage, a street of ill repute,
Ramkali is my name, chanting Ram, Ram too.

Born in Allahabad's dust,
In Jabalpur, my youth took root,
Now Bombay's my stage, a street of ill repute,
Ramkali is my name, chanting Ram, Ram too.