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Only Outlaws Will Be Free
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When Freedom is outlawed, only outlaws will be free. Songs are all accounts of free speech and personal liberties in a time of oppression. social commentary, political satire
censorship 1st amendment free speech
Folk singer, social commentary, satire, people's stories, children's music
Hi Folks, The Bard Insurgent here. My comrade D.O. (the Poet Roofer) and I got that handle (The Bard Insurgents) from traveling town to town performing songs and poetry about people's lives. I've been performing since I was 3 years old, cutting my vocal chords on liturgical and classical music. I was a concert soloist as a child, when I wasn't herding cows, throwing hay and shoveling manure. During the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam war, I began writing songs about social change. I left the country in 1970 and my dozen years in other countries, mostly in Africa & South America, have provided a global perspective to my music. My travels helped me realize that people all around the world are essentially the same in their basic life needs and their desires to live peacefully in their communities. These experiences have informed my commitment to working for international understanding as I organize at home. A powerful way to educate and inspire is with music. I tell people's stories, do social commentary with a touch of satire that I hope you enjoy and share with your friends, as well as sing together in the streets and in your living rooms. I also have children's music written for the children in my life with Jacob and Kayla as primary muses. Looking forward to seeing you on the road, Tom
Song Info
Charts
Peak #66
Peak in subgenre #10
Author
Tom Neilson
Rights
2005
Uploaded
August 03, 2006
Track Files
MP3
MP3 4.5 MB 128 kbps 3:56
Story behind the song
When my son was 10 years old, he ws punished at school for refusing to stand and sing the national anthem, and subsequently for refusing to pledge allegiance to the flag, which to him, stood for war and oppression of civil liberties.
Lyrics
10 year old in America land - sitting down to take a stand; Wont pledge to a country at war, wont honor what that killings for Teacher says he disrespects; principal says that hell infect The other kids with free speech notions Cant have no anti-war commotion. When freedom is outlawed, only outlaws will be free. Only outlaws, only outlaws, Only outlaws, only outlaws will be free. You can tap my phone and read my mail. Torture me and keep me in jail When freedom is outlawed, only outlaws will be free. Cant wear a peace shirt in the mall; police get the call Take me for a ride downtown; dont want no free speech around. Public radio wont play anti-war song cause today Free speech song is treasonous so theyre gonna censor us. When freedom is outlawed, only outlaws will be free. Chorus Take my books away from me; make me undress publicly; Wont let me catch my flight; say my beliefs are dynamite. FBI comes to my home; terrorist clues they want to comb; They say that Im fair game cause of how I spell my name. When freedom is outlawed, only outlaws will be free. Chorus Dont like my ancestry-oh, send me to Guantanamo Dont tell my family whats become of me Dont put no coffins in the press, might cause some unrest Old soldiers never die, just another media lie When freedom is outlawed, only outlaws will be free. Chorus Oh in the name of Homeland Security You can make a terrorist of me When freedom is outlawed, only outlaws will be free. Only outlaws only outlaws, only outlaws only outlaws, When freedom is outlawed, only outlaws will be free.
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