BALLAD OF BIRMINGHAM

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Song Title
BALLAD OF BIRMINGHAM
Writers
Randall, Moore
Publisher
MELODY TRAILS, INC. (BMI)
% Publisher Controls
100%
Territory Controlled
WORLD
Themes/Keywords
1960's, Children, Civil Rights, Danger, Death, Freedom, Mother, Protest, sadness, U.S. History
Lyrics
Mother dear, may I go downtown
Instead of out to play,
And march the streets of Birmingham
In a freedom march today?

No, baby, no, you may not go
For the dogs are fierce and wild,
And clubs and the horses, guns and jails
Aren’t good for a little child.

But mother, I won’t be alone,
Other children will go with me,
And march the streets of Birmingham
To make our people free.

No, baby, no, you may not go,
I fear the guns will fire,
But you may go to church instead
And sing in the children’s choir.

She’s combed and brushed her night-dark hair
And bathed rose petal sweet,
And drawn white gloves on small brown hands,
White shoes on her feet.

Her mother smiled to know the child
Was in that sacred place,
But that smile was the last smile
To pop onto her face.

For when she heard the explosion,
Her eyes grew wet and wild,
She raced through the streets of Birmingham,
Yelling for her child.

She dug in the midst of glass and brick,
Then pulled out a shoe,
Oh, here’s the shoe my baby wore,
But oh, baby, where are you?

Mother dear, may I go downtown
Instead of out to play,
And I’ll march the streets of Birmingham
In a freedom march today.

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