Freedom Shanty
Ain't no whip on my back,
ain't no sack held in my hand
I can come n' go when I want's to.
Oh Lawd' yes I can
I can look you in the eye
n' I can tell you where to go
and you cain't beat me massah,
no sir, not no more
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
Yo' cain't take my chil'ren
Yo' cain't hang me from no tree
Yo' cain't force yo' self up on me
and plant yo' master seed
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
I ain't no more yo' brood mare.
I can run and jump and sing
I can sleep long as I want to.
I can do most any thing
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
Go'an build my own plantation.
Got's forty acres and a mule
in a place called Nova Scotia
far nuff away from you
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
I can lay down my burden,
down by the river side
don't have to bow and scrape no more,
don't have to run and hide
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
Go'an create me my own eden
with honest sweat and my bare hands
and leave it for my chil'ren
when I goes to the promised land
Cuz I free now, Lord' Lord' free now
Cuz I free now, Lord' Lord' free now
Cuz I free now, Lord' Lord' free now
You cain't rape my daughters
or lynch my only son
Cuz I'll kill you DEAD on my land
and it sho' won't hurt me none
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
Cuz I free now, Lawd Lawd' free now
[excerpt from companion poetry book]
Black Orchids On The Vine A Black Girls Anthology