F        C           F
Free the people, 
         G          C
Let them have their say,
F        C            F
Free the people,
         G                C     F    C    G
Let them see the light of day,

     C            Em                 F
A dismal dawn was breaking when they took her man away,
F           Dm           G
Not knowing what was his crime,
C                Em            F
Just what he was guilty of not one of them could say,
F                 G            C
But they think of something in time,
   F     G           Em
He says "goodbye and remember,
F        Dm  G
We shall overcome!"

CHORUS
C              Em              F
Comforting her children softly crying in the night,
F              Dm         G
She tries very hard to explain,
 C                  Em          F
"You know you daddy never did a thing that wasn't right,
F                     G       C
So soon he's bound to be home again.
F  G    Em
He is a good man,
    F        Dm   G
And he shall overcome!"

CHORUS

(Spoken) what does it profit him,
The right to be born,
If he suffers the loss of liberty?

Laws were made for people,
And the law can never scorn,

We are the people,
And we shall overcome!

          F  G       Em
(Singing) we are the people,
    F        Dm   G
And we shall overcome!