Malvina Reynolds — Are You Walking There for Me?

Are you walking there for me? Are you walking there for me? When you go up to the courthouse In the town of Albany When you're walking up to register A gun held at your face Are you walking in my place To make me free Here I live in Happy Town With my freedoms all around When I go to cast my ballot There is none to put me down But a man in Mississippi He will register and die And my vote's an empty lie While that can be Are you walking there for mе? Are you walking there for mе? When you go up to the courthouse In the town of Albany When you're walking up to register A gun held at your face Are you walking in my place To make me free You are far across the land And I cannot touch your hand But the selfsame flag is flying At the courthouse where you stand And the thug that kicks and beats you Also drives me to my knee While you're standing there for me To keep me free Are you walking there for me? Are you walking there for me? When you go up to the courthouse In the town of Albany When you're walking up to register A gun held at your face Are you walking in my place To make me free All the nation's men of law They are only men of straw While you're being jailed and beaten Cause you knock at Freedom's door And my guarantees of justice Are a bitter mockery When they do not reach a hand To set you free Are you walking there for me? Are you walking there for me? When you go up to the courthouse In the town of Albany When you're walking up to register A gun held at your face Are you walking in my place To make me free Would I be as brave as you? Would I live through what you do? Would I face the whip and pistol To make Freedom's dream come true? There are heroes in our country Great as all in history And they're walking there for me For you and me Are you walking there for me? Are you walking there for me? When you go up to the courthouse In the town of Albany When you're walking up to register A gun held at your face Are you walking in my place To make me free Here I live in Happy Town With my freedoms all around When I go to cast my ballot There is none to put me down But a man in Mississippi He will register and die And my vote's an empty lie While that can be