Paul Robeson (Born To Be Free) - Black 47

You can wreck my name, vilify me, stretch me on the rack

But I won’t bow down to any man, be he white or be he black

Take away my passport, refuse to let me travel

But I will not get down on my knees

You’re never gonna make me grovel

There’s a lot more to democracy than havin' a vote

I’m the equal here of any man, free my people, let them go

These chains around my body are never gonna hold me

And I refuse to be a slave in my own country

The great are only great 'cause we’re down on our knees

Rise up, my brothers and sisters, we were born to be free

Born to be free

You can call me a traitor but I love my country

And I will not sell out it because of your hypocrisy

I refuse to hide behind the Fifth, I’ve no fear of honesty

You always know exactly where I am, so why don’t you just

Come on over here and get me

You can tap my phone but there’s one thing you will never hear

'Cause the drumbeat of freedom wasn’t meant for your slaves' ears

I’ll never turn my back on my comrades and my friends

The poor and the dispossessed, the women and the men

The great are only great 'cause we’re down on our knees

Rise up, my brothers and sisters, we were born to be free

Born to be free

I stand here struggling for the rights of my people to be full citizens in this

country and they are not!

Close your halls to stop me singin'

Close your minds to stop me speakin'

Close your kitchens to stop me eatin'

Close your hotels to stop me sleepin'

But I’ll never turn my back on my comrades and my friends

The poor and the dispossessed, the women and the men

The great are only great 'cause we’re down on our knees

Rise up, my brothers and sisters, we were born to be free

Born to be free

These chains around my body are never gonna hold me

And I refuse to be a slave in my own country

The great are only great 'cause we’re down on our knees

Rise up, my brothers and sisters, we were born to be free

Born to be free

I am born and bred in this America of ours.

I want to love it, but we must have

the courage

To shout at the top of our voices about our injustices, and we must lay the

blame right where

It has belonged for over three hundred years of slavery and misery — right here

on our own doorstep

My father was a slave, and my people died to build this country,

and I’m going to stay here and

Have a part of it just like you!

And no facist-minded people will drive me from

it--is that clear?