They came for him in the morning, an hour before the dawning
the pale white moon was waning in the African sky.
The cell door flew wide open, they stood looking at him

He saw no mercy in their hearts, no pity in their eyes.

As they took him and they bound him, tied his trembling hands behind them
He felt his courage leave him, his manhood disappear
His legs would not support him, so from the cell they dragged him
He sobbed and screamed and cursed them in his loneliness and fear

CHORUS:
Chains, chains, chains, How many souls have died in freedom's name?
To some it is a way of life, to others just a word,
To some it is a snow white dove, to some a bloody sword
But until the last chains fall, freedom will make slaves of us all.

With faces closed and hidden, the white guards walked beside him,
Indifferent to his pleading, they'd been down this path before.
But other eyes were watching, other ears were listening,
Other hearts beat with him, in his final desperate hour.

CHORUS

From the darkness of that prison, came the sound of his brothers singing
"Courage", their voices told him,"You do not walk alone"
From their cells beyond the shadow, he heard their voices echo
As in love and pride and sorrow, they sang his spirit home.

Their song of hope and freedom, rang inside that prison
It beat against the iron bars and hammered against the stone
As in their fear and hate they hung him, the last sound that filled his being
Was his brothers singing, singing, singing his spirit home

Courage, brother, you do not walk alone.
We are with you, to sing your spirit home

Courage, brother, you do not walk alone.
We are with you, to sing your spirit home