new lyrics by Dragonfly
This song is sung call & response --
after leader sings first line of verse,
choir joins in for second line and chorus.
TRADITIONAL VERSES:
I know the one thing we did RIGHT
Was the day we started to FIGHT
Keep Your Eyes On the Prize
Hold On
The only chains that we can stand
Are the chains of hand in hand
Keep Your Eyes On the Prize
Hold On
Got my hand on the freedom plow
Wouldn't take nothing for my journey now
Keep Your Eyes On the Prize
Hold On
I know the one thing we did WRONG
Was stay in the wilderness far too LONG
Keep Your Eyes On the Prize
Hold On
CHORUS
Hold on / Hold on
Keep Your Eyes On the Prize
Hold On
EVENT / THEME VERSES:
In CHARLOTTESVILLE racism revved
Twenty injured, one left dead
Down in CHARLESTON nine were slayed
As they welcomed and they prayed
Ku Klux Klan and slave patrols
Boys in blue have the same control
Where there’s white supremacy
We cannot live with dignity
That CONFEDERATE FLAG waves
To remind us we were slaves
Immigrants come for asylum --
Families tortured, children crying
ANCESTOR VERSES:
Darren Wilson killed MIKE BROWN
Hands were up, still took him down
MARTIN and MALCOLM are our heroes
Both were slain by COINTELPRO
ERIC GARNER could not breathe
Now we’re taking it to the streets!
AKAI GURLEY did no wrong
One scared cop and now he’s gone
Chased and killed RAMARLEY GRAHAM
He had no weapons in his hands
Killed JOHN CRAWFORD in a WalMart
Another woman died of a broken heart
MIRIAM CAREY made a U-turn
Through her back five bullets burned
Stolen youth, abuse of power
Took the life of KALIEF BROWDER
SANDRA BLAND hung in a jail cell
"A suicide" is the lie they tell
FREDDIE GRAY went on a rough ride
Broken neck is how he died
TARIKA WILSON did no harm
Shot her with her baby in her arms
SHANTEL DAVIS screamed “don’t kill me”
Left her to bleed out in the street
REKIA BOYD was minding her business
One drunk cop fired shots that were reckless
OSCAR GRANT did not attack
Shot him handcuffed in his back
ELEANOR BUMPURS and PEARLIE GOLDEN
They kill young and they kill old
TAMIR RICE was a little boy
Shot him cold ‘cause he had a toy
When they killed AIYANA JONES
The child was sleeping in her home
In an ambush bullets hailed
And SEAN would miss his wedding BELL
He was reaching for his wallet
When they killed AMADOU DIALLO
SHAREESE FRANCIS needed her meds
Cuffed and smothered her in her bed
Fast asleep TYISHA MILLER
Cops show up and then they kill her
KATHYRN JOHNSTON was 92
Shot then framed by the boys in blue
ALBERTA SPRUILL was the wrong address
Flash grenade took her final breath
KENNY LAZO beaten bloody and gory
All five cops have a different story
AGABUS WORDSWORTH found on a rooftop
Evidence sealed up by the cops
BRIANA OJEDA had an asthma attack
Died in her car when the cop held her back
Long ago NICHOLAS HEYWARD died
Pain still deep in his father’s eyes
MYA HALL went on a joyride
One wrong turn is how she died
KAJIEME POWELL had no gun
Killed him for a soda and a honey bun
Cops killed pregnant CHARLEENA LYLES
As her children watched her die