Page type: lyric reference
Artist: Phil Ochs
Canonical path: /phil-ochs/too-many-martyrs
Related lyric paths: 6
Lyric guide
Too Many Martyrs
Read Too Many Martyrs lyrics by Phil Ochs on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.
person
Curated by Ethan Walker
LyroVerse team
Reference snapshot
The page facts to cite before the commentary
Use this page for the lyric text, linked artist context, and any LyroVerse editor's note attached to the song. Listener comments remain user-generated and should not be treated as the primary source.
Lyrics
Too Many Martyrs
The lyric stays readable and compact here; the note and related paths sit nearby so you do not lose the song while looking for context.
In the state of Mississippi many years ago
A boy of 14 years got a taste of southern law
He saw his friend a hanging and his color was his crime
And the blood upon his jacket left a brand upon his mind
Too many martyrs and too many dead
Too many lies too many empty words were said
Too many times for too many angry men
Oh let it never be again
His name was Medgar Evers and he walked his road alone
Like Emmett Till and thousands more whose names we'll never know
They tried to burn his home and they beat him to the ground
But deep inside they both knew what it took to bring him down
Too many martyrs and too many dead
Too many lies too many empty words were said
Too many times for too many angry men
Oh let it never be again
The killer waited by his home hidden by the night
As Evers stepped out from his car into the rifle sight
he slowly squeezed the trigger, the bullet left his side
It struck the heart of every man when Evers fell and died.
Too many martyrs and too many dead
Too many lies too many empty words were said
Too many times for too many angry men
Oh let it never be again
And they laid him in his grave while the bugle sounded clear
laid him in his grave when the victory was near
While we waited for the future for freedom through the land
The country gained a killer and the country lost a man
Too many martyrs and too many dead
Too many lies too many empty words were said
Too many times for too many angry men
Oh let it never be again
Quick answers
What this page can answer fast
Who performs "Too Many Martyrs"?
Phil Ochs performs "Too Many Martyrs", and this lyric page sits inside the Phil Ochs catalog on LyroVerse.
Are there related songs to explore after "Too Many Martyrs"?
Yes. The related section below points to Another Country and A Toast to Those Who Are Gone with a short reason for opening each page next.
Where can I find more songs by Phil Ochs?
Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Phil Ochs's lyric pages.
Song Room
Open Song Room
Interpretations, questions, and corrections for this song
Interpretations, questions, memories, and correction notes live together here. The room stays noindex while the best insights are reviewed.
Listener comments
What people are saying
No listener comments on Too Many Martyrs yet.
A strong comment here is specific: the phrase you keep hearing, the mood you come back for, or the reason this song stays in rotation.
Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.