You can wreck my name, vilify me, stretch me on the rack 

But I won't bow down to any man, be he white or be he black 

Take away my passport, refuse to let me travel 

But I will not get down on my knees, 

You're never gonna make me grovel 

There's a lot more to democracy than havin' a vote 

I'm the equal here of any man, free my people, let them go 

These chains around my body are never gonna hold me 

And I refuse to be a slave in my own country 

The great are only great 'cause we're down on our knees 

Rise up, my brothers and sisters, we were born to be free 

Born to be free 



You can call me a traitor but I love my country 

And I will not sell out it because of your hypocrisy 

I refuse to hide behind the Fifth, I've no fear of honesty 

You always know exactly where I am, so why don't you just 

Come on over here and get me 

You can tap my phone but there's one thing you will never hear 

'Cause the drumbeat of freedom wasn't meant for your slaves' ears 

I'll never turn my back on my comrades and my friends 

The poor and the dispossessed, the women and the men 

The great are only great 'cause we're down on our knees 

Rise up, my brothers and sisters, we were born to be free 

Born to be free 



I stand here struggling for the rights of my people to be full citizens in this country and they are not! 



Close your halls to stop me singin' 

Close your minds to stop me speakin' 

Close your kitchens to stop me eatin' 

Close your hotels to stop me sleepin' 

But I'll never turn my back on my comrades and my friends 

The poor and the dispossessed, the women and the men 

The great are only great 'cause we're down on our knees 

Rise up, my brothers and sisters, we were born to be free 

Born to be free 



These chains around my body are never gonna hold me 

And I refuse to be a slave in my own country 

The great are only great 'cause we're down on our knees 

Rise up, my brothers and sisters, we were born to be free 

Born to be free 



I am born and bred in this America of ours. I want to love it, but we must have the courage

 to shout at the top of our voices about our injustices, and we must lay the blame right where

 it has belonged for over three hundred years of slavery and misery - right here on our own doorstep. 



My father was a slave, and my people died to build this country, and I'm going to stay here and

 have a part of it just like you! And no facist-minded people will drive me from it--is that clear?