Do You Want To Be Free?
Credit: words & music by 4th grade, Rm. 212 at Jenks School, Philadelphia, PA (c) 2003
Album: So Many Ways To Be Smart
Lyrics: This song was written during a a Two of a Kind artist residency about African-American women. The students wanted to write the song from Harriet Tubman’s perspective, imagining her trying to convince slaves to follow her to freedom in the North. They used "call and response" in the chorus to make it sound more like an old spiritual.
Do you want to be free? (Do you want to be free?)
I'll give you the key (I'll give you the key)
Come with me (Come with me)
and leave slavery (and leave slavery)
Gather around, I'll tell you about
the road to freedom, without no doubt
I'm Harriet Tubman, I rescue slaves
If you come with me, you'll have to be brave.
Follow me, you won't get whipped
We're going on a very dangerous trip
If you turn back, you'll stay a slave
If you come with me, you'll work and get paid.
Only take what you can carry in your pack
We're going to freedom and we're not coming back
Quakers and friends will help you get far
To get to freedom, go towards the North Star.
(Chorus - 2x)