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