MY VOTE, MY VOICE, MY RIGHT
(from the album "This Machine: The Best of Roy Zimmerman")
MY VOTE, MY VOICE, MY RIGHT
(from the album "This Machine: The Best of Roy Zimmerman")
words and music
copyright © 2015
by Roy Zimmerman and Melanie Harby
many thanks to Steven Armsey
copyright © 2015
by Roy Zimmerman and Melanie Harby
many thanks to Steven Armsey
Way back when, when they said “all men,”
They meant every wealthy European male
So back then, to vote required bein’ white and bein’ rich and bein’ male
They said you can’t vote If got no property
You can’t vote If you’re not free
You can’t vote If you’re a woman ‘cause you
Got no stake in democracy
Year by year, people had to ponder what the Declaration musta meant
By “All men” - clearly it was time for an electoral adjust-a-ment
And they won the vote for those who had no property
Won the vote for those who’d been freed
Won the vote - won the vote for women
Wrote it down it was guaranteed - They all said it’s…
My Vote!
You can’t deny it
My Voice!
Can’t take it away
My Right!
I won’t be quiet, it’s …
My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Vote! - My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Voice! - My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Right! - My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Vote, My Voice, My Right
Well, a right’s a right, but without a fight it can evaporate and float away
And by night, there were some who came around and tried to take the vote away
They said, “You can’t vote - You haven’t paid the poll tax
You can’t vote - You can’t pass the exam
You can’t vote for fear of retribution
And the people stood up, and said, “Well, damn
It’s My Vote!
You can’t deny it
My Voice!
Can’t take it away
My Right!
I won’t be quiet, it’s …
My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Vote! - My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Voice! - My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Right! - My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Vote, My Voice, My Right
That was then, but now they’ve got a plan to throw democracy itself in doubt
So beware - even when you vote they’re gonna try to throw the outcome out
Saying ...
You can’t vote - Your machine isn’t working right
You can’t vote - Your lines are too long
You can’t vote - They took away your mailbox
You can’t vote - They’ll tell the Big Lie
Say you’re gonna use it - Say you’ll never lose it
If they ask you whose it is, just say it’s…
My Vote!
My Voice!
My Right!
My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Vote!
You can’t deny it
My Voice!
Can’t take it away
My Right!
I won’t be quiet, it’s ...
My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Vote, My Voice, My Right!
They meant every wealthy European male
So back then, to vote required bein’ white and bein’ rich and bein’ male
They said you can’t vote If got no property
You can’t vote If you’re not free
You can’t vote If you’re a woman ‘cause you
Got no stake in democracy
Year by year, people had to ponder what the Declaration musta meant
By “All men” - clearly it was time for an electoral adjust-a-ment
And they won the vote for those who had no property
Won the vote for those who’d been freed
Won the vote - won the vote for women
Wrote it down it was guaranteed - They all said it’s…
My Vote!
You can’t deny it
My Voice!
Can’t take it away
My Right!
I won’t be quiet, it’s …
My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Vote! - My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Voice! - My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Right! - My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Vote, My Voice, My Right
Well, a right’s a right, but without a fight it can evaporate and float away
And by night, there were some who came around and tried to take the vote away
They said, “You can’t vote - You haven’t paid the poll tax
You can’t vote - You can’t pass the exam
You can’t vote for fear of retribution
And the people stood up, and said, “Well, damn
It’s My Vote!
You can’t deny it
My Voice!
Can’t take it away
My Right!
I won’t be quiet, it’s …
My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Vote! - My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Voice! - My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Right! - My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Vote, My Voice, My Right
That was then, but now they’ve got a plan to throw democracy itself in doubt
So beware - even when you vote they’re gonna try to throw the outcome out
Saying ...
You can’t vote - Your machine isn’t working right
You can’t vote - Your lines are too long
You can’t vote - They took away your mailbox
You can’t vote - They’ll tell the Big Lie
Say you’re gonna use it - Say you’ll never lose it
If they ask you whose it is, just say it’s…
My Vote!
My Voice!
My Right!
My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Vote!
You can’t deny it
My Voice!
Can’t take it away
My Right!
I won’t be quiet, it’s ...
My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Vote, My Voice, My Right
My Vote, My Voice, My Right!
