Jefferson and Liberty
by Leslie Fish
The night of fire is yet to come The tyrant's shadow down the years demands we kneel, or take the gun And go shed blood instead of our tears So, rejoince, Columbia's sons, rejoice! To tyrants never bend the knee But lend your heart and hands and voice To Jefferson and liberty! (Never mind that he owned slaves himself) "Every twenty years," he said "The times are ripe and over-past To raise rebellion's fiery head And cast off tyranny's shel at last!" So, rejoice, Columbia's sons, rejoice! To tyrants never bend the knee But lend your heart and hands and voice To Jefferson and liberty! No man is good nor wise enough To rule another, or disown The rights of every woman and man To live and let live and be left alone So, rejoice, Columbia's sons, rejoice! To tyrants never bend the knee But lend your heart and hands and voice To Jefferson and liberty! The starry banner that did fly O'er freedom's bloodied barricades Now flaps and fades in foreign skies O'er palaces that empire made So, arise, Columbia's sons, arise! Arise that ye might yet be free! Cast off the forces that made lies Of Jefferson and liberty! The world that once did turn and watch The struggle for democracy cries, "Have Columbia's sons forgotten Jefferson and liberty?" So, arise, Columbia's sons, arise! Arise that ye might yet be free! Cast off the forces that made lies Of Jefferson and liberty! But we, the heirs of Jefferson Like ancient Sons of Liberty Will bear indeed the rebel's gun And never bow to tyranny! So, arise, Columbia's sons, arise! Arise that ye might yet be free! Cast off the forces that made lies Of Jefferson and liberty!