they said some men would be warriors

some men would be kings

some men would be owners of land

and other man-made things

false love as the eternal flame

would move some to think in rings

and gold would be our power 

and other foolish things



and you who dream of liberty 

must not yourselves be fooled

before you get to plea for freedom

you've agreed to being ruled

if the body stays a shackle

then the mind remains a chain

and that will link you to your destiny

where by other souls are slain



it won't take long

it won't take too long at all



three men in a desert wandering

one is knowing and two are scared

they say time is in the river

oh but the river is not there

dry in spirit 

dry in body 

two will lend themselves to death

and in grief one weeps into his hands

and drinks his bitter tears



'cause it don't take long

it don't take too long at all

no it don't take long 

you may say

i don't know what you're talking about

and i say 

you mean to tell me that's all



and i stand before you now

i am hopeful in my rage

you know love has finally called for me

i will not wilt upon its stage

but you know still smaller than my nightmare

now do i print upon the page 

and do we have to live inside its walls 

to identify the cage



'cause it takes so long

why does it take so long

and it takes so long

you may say

i don't really care what you're talking about

i'm gonna ask you

you trying to tell me you don't belong



i am my mother's daughter

but i have seen myself in you

it's this blessing that i follow now

and so i must speak true

i dreamed of thousands dying

it was you and you and you

and while the city sleeps so quietly

there is something we must do



and it wont' take long

it won't take too long at all

it won't take long 

may say

i don't know if i wanna know what you're getting at

it makes me wanna say 

so long



grief shall come in measures

only grief alone will know

and you'll see it on your family

and on your own face it will grow

then they'll try to keep you hungry

and they'll tell you to eat snow

you know pride can be a moving thing

if we learn the strength of no



and it won't take long

it won't take too long at all

no it won't take long 

you may say

i don't think this has anything to do with me

did you ever think you could be wrong



at noon on one day coming

human strength will fill the streets

of every city on our planet

hear the sound of angry feet

with business freezed up in the harbour

the kings will pull upon their hair

and the banks will shudder to a halt

and the artists will be there



'cause it won't take long

it won't take too long at all

no it won't take long 

and you may say

i don't think i can be a part of that

and it makes me want to say

don't you want to see yourself that strong



division between the peoples

will disappear that honoured day

and though oceans lie between us

lifted candles light the way

half will join their hands by moonlight

the rest under the rising sun

as underneath the sun and moon

a ritualed wailing has begun



and it won't take long

it won't take too long at all

and it won't take long 

and you may say

i don't know how to be a part of what you're talking about

and it makes me want to say 

come on

come on



oh beware you sagging diplomats

for you will not hear one gun

and though our homes be torn and ransacked 

we will not be undone

for as we let ourselves be bought

we're gonna let ourselves be free

and if you think we stand alone

take a look around and you will see



we are children in the rafters

we are babies in the park

we are lovers at the movies

we are candles in the dark

we are changes in the weather

we are snowflakes in july

we are women grown together

we are men who easily cry

we are words not quickly spoken

we're the deeper side of try

we are dreamers in the making

we are not afraid of why