Are You Walking There for Me?

Are you walking there for me?

Are you walking there for me?

When you go up to the courthouse

In the town of Albany.

When you're walking up to register,

A gun held at your face,

Are you walking in my place

To make me free.

Here I live in Happy Town

With my freedoms all around,

When I go to cast my ballot

There is none to put me down.

But a man in Mississippi

He will register and die,

And my vote's an empty lie

While that can be.

You are far across the land

And I cannot touch your hand,

But the selfsame flag is flying

At the courthouse where you stand,

And the thug that kicks and beats you

Also drives me to my knee,

While you're standing there for me,

To keep me free.

All the nation's men of law,

They are only men of straw,

While you're being jailed and beaten

Cause you knock at Freedom's door,

And my guarantees of justice

Are a bitter mockery

When they do not reach a hand

To set you free.

Would I be as brave as you?

Would I live through what you do?

Would I face the whip and pistol

To make Freedom's dream come true?

There are heroes in our country

Great as all in history,

And they're walking there for me,

For you and me.

Here I live in Happy Town

With my freedoms all around,

When I go to cast my ballot

There is none to put me down.

But a man in Mississippi

He will register and die,

And my vote's an empty lie

While that can be.