These Rights Are Our Rights

 
 

The grassroots rallying cry, This Land Is Your Land by the renowned Woody Guthrie is given a new perspective with the following lyrics reflecting the struggles and solidarity of our current times. 

Click here to download a printer-friendly version of the lyrics (pdf).

A note about usage: these lyrics are available for non-commerical use, such as marches, demonstrations, and informal gatherings. Any commercial use will require permission. Contact us here to request permission. 

 

 

These Rights Are Our Rights

START CHORUS

These rights are your rights

These rights are our rights

From the First Amendment

To our priv-a-cy

      These rights were meant for you and me

 

Equal protection

A press that is free

Due process of law

No death penalty

     These rights were meant for you and me

END CHORUS

 

From the bridge at Selma

To the Stonewall I--nn

The fight for justice

You know we’re all in

     These rights were meant for you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

We’ll keep on fighting

As long as we must

We’ll leave all hatred

Down there in the dust

     These rights were meant for you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

I started reading

That ol’ Bill of Rights

And then I knew that

It’s a Bill of Our Fights

     These rights are meant for you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

One right we cherish

Right of Assem-bly

Cause in those protests

That’s where we’ll all be

     These rights were meant for you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

Went to the ball game

What did I se - ee?

All of the players

Down taking a knee

 

Their silent protest

Sure inspired me

The right to protest

Makes this our land free

            The right to protest was made for you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

As I lay dreaming

I dreamt a land of

Full equal-ity

Complete priv-acy

     That land was made for you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

Our voices cry out

Let’s stop all spying

Stop wiretapping

And White House lying

     That land was made for you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

Jane Roe got pregnant

She had a tough choice

It’s not the state’s choice

It Is just her choice

     These rights were meant for you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

Health care is your right

Health care is our right

 

From a broken toe

To major cancer

Health care for us all

Is just the answer

     Health care was made for you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

Now my companion

The same sex as me

It’s no one’s business

Just our pri-vacy

     These rights were meant for you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

We thank you Woody

Your gift’s a great song

It gives us strength to

Keep on keep’n on

     Your song was meant for you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

With strength and courage

John Lewis marched on

They beat and kicked him

But he just stayed strong

 

So we salute him

And sing him this song

We march as he marched

To fight all that’s wrong

     His strength inspires you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

These rights are your rights

These rights are our rights

Freedom of spe-ech

Now that is our fight

     Free speech was meant for you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

Walkin through Brooklyn

Thought there was no risk

Till some cop stopped us

Did a stop and frisk

 

Is there a problem?

We gently asked him

He called us a name

Then busted our ass

 

We called our lawyer

He said don’t worry

The Fourth Amendment

Will set you all free

     These streets were meant for you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

Now roses are red

And your process due

If you’re arrested

Call A-C-L-U

     These rights are made for you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

I started reading

That ol’ Bill of Rights

And then I knew that

It’s a Bill of Our Fights

     Those fights are made for you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

Kids prayin’ in school

Well that’s just not cool

Cause church and the state

Must be sep-ar-ate

     That right is meant for you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

As I was drivin’

On “I”-  ninety-five

Then some cop stopped me

Some pro-filing jive

 

And so we sued them

Said hey that’s no way

And now that freeway

Is a true free-way

     These streets are meant for you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

A land of free-dom

Liber-ty so sweet

Well that’s a land with

No room for Trump’s tweets

     That Trump’s not meant for you and me

 

REPEAT CHORUS