Folk Ballad

Thread: Folk Ballad

Tags: dylan, folk, freedom, guthrie.ballad
  1. folkthesystem said:

    Default Folk Ballad

    John Browns Raid

    My name is John Brown and it's slavery I fight
    To bring freedom to every man
    It was at Harper's Ferry I made my last stand
    To spread justice across the land

    My Crime it is treason my fate is the noose
    Soon the war cannons will be let loose
    I fear for my country and the people I love
    But their fate is not mine to choose

    I went to the negro and said listen and see
    You live and breath just like me
    Don't let any white man knock you down
    You have every right to be free

    We'll take Harper's Ferry their armory we'll raid
    Many people from slavery we'll save
    I'll give my last drop of blood to this fight
    For this cause that I think is right

    I fought in Kansas to keep slavery banned
    To make it a free loving land
    Drove the slavers across the Missouri line
    In 18-and-59

    With guns in our hands and strength in our hearts
    Into the battle we stormed
    I find great pride fighting side by side
    With freedom loving souls like mine

    I told my band this fight is not done
    And to never put down your gun
    Until that snake of slavery is dead in it's grave
    And we've turned loose every slave

    Now into Virginia the valleys and hills
    To rally support for our great cause
    Sometimes the way of freedom, boys
    Means you have to defy the law

    We'll give the men pikes and give the men guns
    And we'll raid that armory tonight
    Listen up friends this could be the end
    Now be ready for the fight

    We cut the telegraph wire to give us some time
    Then we stormed in with our guns
    But we soon were surrounded something went wrong
    And we had nowhere to run

    In a small little shed we made our last stand
    Two sons I lost in the fight
    I was hit with a club in the dead of my back
    And I fell down to the floor

    The marines they cheered as they dragged us off
    They called us traitors and fools
    They put me in a cell and turned the key
    And I fell down on my knees

    Two of my sons I lost to this fight
    And lord knows many brave men
    But I know it will be worth it my friends
    If slavery is brought to an end

    It's for freedom I've lived and freedom I'll die
    Do not worry for me
    I've given my life to this fight
    So every man can be free

    It's down to the gallows I take my last steps
    But my head will be held high
    I have no choice but to walk to my death
    But it's for freedom that I shall die

    By Scott Lee
     
  2. folkthesystem said:

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by 2012 View Post
    what was the point? I mean are you scott lee or john brown if you didnt write it why post it in the first place and if u are....i see more mexican "slaves" then black ones nowadays but we're all slaves to the government...what a random post / cant believe i took my time to read it but i did some and had to post to ask....Why??
    It's a story about John Brown, who was an important person in American history. I thought it would be better story telling if it was told through his eyes. Racism is still a problem in this country no mater who is being discriminated against, so it's not quite a dead topic. My goal was to tell a story about a guy who fought and gave his life for a just cause and maybe show people that every man should be equal no mattet the color of his skin. I don't understand how it's random. I'm new to the forum and I figured I would post a few of my songs, this just happened to be the most recent. Thanks for the comment!
     
  3. folkthesystem said:

    Default

    Just to add to that, I believe freedom and equality are worth writing songs about. A forgotten American hero is also worth writing a song about. There are millions upon millions of songs about love and hate, and even more about ramdom topics. Pop music has always been filled with songs about random things. From elvis's "Blue Suede Shoes" to that new Lady Gaga song "Telephone". A song about John Brown doesn't seem so random to me. Maybe thats because I'm a huge fan of folk music. Woody Guthrie wrote a whole album about Sacco and Vanzetti. Thats because they deserve to be remembered for what they stood for.