Country Joe's Place

The Liberal Song

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by Jerry Farber, copyright © 1964
(sung to the tune of the calypso song Marian)

1. Walking on the picket line
I was carrying my freedom sign
Up came a liberal anxiously
Here are the words said to me:

Chorus:
You’re only hurting your cause this way
That’s what all of us liberals say
Nobody likes things the way they are
But you go too fast and you go too far

2. Hebrew children on the Red Sea shore
Walked through the water four by four
Moses let old Pharaoh swim
Here’s what the Pharaoh said to him:

Chorus:
You’re only hurting your cause this way
That’s what all of us liberals say
Nobody likes things the way they are
But you go too fast and you go too far

3. Three wise men on camel back
Two were white and one was black
Freedom riding to Bethlehem
When somebody gave this advice to them:

Chorus:
You’re only hurting your cause this way
That’s what all of us liberals say
Nobody likes things the way they are
But you go too fast and you go too far

4. All night long they were making tea
At the Boston Harbor jamboree
A liberal ran to the water’s side
And called to them across the tide:

Chorus:
You’re only hurting your cause this way
That’s what all of us liberals say
Nobody likes things the way they are
But you go too fast and you go too far

5. Frederick Douglas broke the color bar
When he rode on a train in the white folk’s car
They said "Get up" but he would not go
What they told him we all know:

Chorus:
You’re only hurting your cause this way
That’s what all of us liberals say
Nobody likes things the way they are
But you go too fast and you go too far

6. God gave Noah the rainbow sign
Won’t be water but the fire next time
And when the fires are blazing away
The liberals will look up to God and say:

Chorus:
You’re only hurting your cause this way
That’s what all of us liberals say
Nobody likes things the way they are
But you go too fast and you go too far

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