I Will Not Obey

Utah Phillips Starlight On the Rails-A Songbook Banjo Tuned E, Capo2, Key D Verne Garrison 04 July 09 Here you go Will-- I Will Not Obey D G D the new ruling party is holding the aces the rest of the cards are all missing faces i'm sorry i can't know you today G D what can one say? G D i will not obey give us your sons and give us your daughters no one is safe or immune from the slaughter how indifference makes then rage what can one say? i will not obey national guard or freedom fighters all houses belong to cigarette lighters but who hides in the smoke? what can one say? i will not obey better perhaps to perish outside of the bunkers where our generals hide i turn away and spit what can one say? i will not obey give us the minds of your children to learn the substance of books we have not yet burned but can they read the sky for rain? what can one say? i will not obey soon all tyrants will feel our impatience we choose to create our own combinations i was always willing to agree what can one say? i will not obey the essence of contract is agreement not coercion or obedience and agreement is sacred what can one say? i will not obey there're so few wars of people's liberation for the people have so seldom risen; only the armed faction listen, the armed faction lies they recreate the state through their action when the people rise it is not they, but the state, which dies i sing this song for the prisoners' release most of all now for the new state police you see, the guns have changed hands - again what can one say? i will not obey