Lyr Add: We Shall Be Free

04 Jul 02 - 12:19 PM (#742281)
Subject: Lyr Add: WE SHALL BE FREE (G Brooks, S Davis)
From: GUEST,Sonja

We Shall Be Free       Written by: Garth Brooks, Stephanie Davis

This ain't comin' from no prophet,
Just an ordinary (wo)man.
When I close my eyes I see
The way this world shall be
When we all walk hand in hand.

When the last child cries for a crust of bread
When the last man dies for just words that he said
When there's shelter over the poorest head
We shall be free

When the last thing we notice is the color of skin
And the first thing we look for is the beauty within
When the skies and the oceans are clean again
Then we shall be free

We shall be free,We shall be free
Stand straight, walk proud
'Cause we shall be free
When we're free to love anyone we choose
When this world's big enough for all different views
When we all can worship from our own kind of pew
Then we shall be free
We shall be free

We shall be free
Have a little faith, Hold out
'Cause we shall be free

And when money talks for the very last time
And nobody walks a step behind
When there's only one race and that's mankind
Then we shall be free

We shall be free,We shall be free
Stand straight, walk proud, have a little faith, hold out
We shall be free, We shall be free
We shall be free
Stand straight, have a little faith
We shall be free

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04 Jul 02 - 12:30 PM (#742290)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: We Shall Be Free
From: The Pooka

Perfect. Thank you.

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04 Jul 02 - 12:58 PM (#742301)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: We Shall Be Free
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)

Based on the many versions of the Negro spiritual "You Shall be Free," "Free at Last," and "We Shall be Free." See threads 44128: Free and 39304: Free

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04 Jul 02 - 08:59 PM (#742560)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: We Shall Be Free
From: Genie

Bill Cameron said, in this thread that when Brooks released this song, there was a lot of negative reaction within the C/W community over the line about being "free to love anyone we choose."  Brooks apparently prevailed in getting the song released because he was such a big name with clout, but it was not very successful with the Opry crowd -- probably much too "politically correct," "touchy-feely," and "liberal.  Personally, I think it's one of his best songs (partly because of its roots) and a very inspiring song, period.

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23 Nov 09 - 05:06 AM (#2771593)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: We Shall Be Free
From: folktheatre

Is there a thread for the Woody Guthrie/Leadbelly/Terry/McGhee song of the same name?

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23 Nov 09 - 01:24 PM (#2771927)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: We Shall Be Free (Garth Brooks)
From: Genie

If not, why not start one (and add "Brooks / Davis" to the title of this thread)?
Personally, I often find it confusing and unnecessarily time-consuming when the same thread has the lyrics to a lot of different songs, but maybe that's just me.


Dicho, while the sentiment hoping for freedom is expressed in many old spirituals, most of the lines in this Brooks/Davis song do not seem very similar to those of the old spirituals in the threads you referenced.   The ideas seem quite different, in fact, and much more universal (not specific to the plight of the American slaves or to American blacks in the post Civil War era).   This song is about freedom from world hunger and homelessness, political oppression of all sorts, freedom of speech, respect for diversity (of opinion, lifestyle), environmental stewardship.   It's not the only song to deal with such issues, but I don't see it as yet another variation on songs like "O Freedom."

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25 Nov 09 - 07:56 AM (#2773291)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: We Shall Be Free
From: folktheatre

Very true Genie. There's a few songs with the same name. Would save time too.

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