Artist & Tune
About the Song
Words & music by Matt Jones. The song was written after a visit to the prison in Northern Ireland (where the IRA activist Bobby Sands died during a hunger strike). Jones was a civil rights activist & identified with the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland.
Alt Lyrics
I went down to Long Kesh to see Bobby Sands
He was not there but his spirit keeps on living
I could see his shining face on the men & on the women
And the children, they sang Freedom songs
C FC - G / FC FC G - / C FC FC Am / F G C -
I went down to Atlanta to see Martin King
He was not there but his spirit keeps on living
I could see his shining face on the men & on the women
And the children, they sang freedom songs
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She was not but her spirit keeps on living...
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I went down to D.C. to see John Lewis
He was not there but his spirit keeps on living
I can see his shining face in the men and on the women
And the children, they sing Freedom songs
original words & music by Matt Jones, with new words by Terry Leonino & Greg Artzner
© 1983, 1997 Matt Jones (ASCAP). All rights reserved.