Ballad Of Old Monroe chords by Pete Seeger
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Verse 1
(D major) Gather round me, you Americans,
if you be (G major) lieve in right and (A major) wrong.
(D major) The (G major) newspapers have (A major) ignored this,
I'll tell it in a song.
(D major) The papers and the TV
never told (G major) a story straight.
(D major) So listen (G major) now, I will (A major) to you,
(D major) the hon (A major) est facts relate.
(D major) Let me take you to a corner
of (G major) this world
that we call free.
(D major) It's (G major) Monroe, North Carolina,
(D major) where the Klan (A major) rules by decree. (D major)
Now, maybe you thought
the Klan was dead
and buried (G major) long (D major) ago.
Well, in August (G major) 1961
(D major) you should have (A major) been in old Monroe.
(D major) It's a town of about ten thousand,
it could (G major) be a pretty place. (D major)
(A major) But (G major) there's uncertainty (D major) and fear
to be (A major) seen on many a (D major) face. (G major) (D major) (G major)
(D major) (A major) (D major)
A railroad slices through Monroe,
it's (G major) not one town, but (A major) two towns.
(G major) On the right, Monroe (D major) is white,
and (A major) on the left is Newtown.
(D major) Eighteen Freedom Riders
came in (G major) Au gust 61,
(D major) at the call of young (G major) Rob William (D major) s,
(A major) to see what could be done.
(D major) Robert Williams was a leader,
a (G major) gi ant of a (A major) man.
(D major) He (G major) said, let's protect our (A major) families
from the violence of the (D major) Klan.
Well, the Klansmen, they got busy,
they came (G major) from everywhere, (D major)
(G major) All armed with guns and pis (D major) tols,
and Chief (A major) Mooney didn't care.
(D major) They staged a bloody riot,
and the deck (G major) was surely stacked, (D major)
(G major) Cause the only ones arrested
(D major) were the ones (A major) who were
attacked. (D major) (G major) (D major) (G major)
(D major) (A major) (D major)
Now listen for the frame -up
Did the (G major) Klan lay a plan
(D major) To trap (G major) Williams and (D major) his friends
(A major) And make him flee the land
(D major) A couple by name of Stiegel
Were (G major) driving in a (A major) car
They (D major) (G major) drove right into Newtown
(D major) That (A major) was a bit too far
(D major) For Negroes live in Newtown
And (G major) on that fatal day
(D major) They'd (G major) set their lines (D major) of self -defense
again (A major) st the KKK.
(D major) The Stigols,
they were frightened.
They're stopped (G major) at Williams'
door. (A major)
(G major) And Robert Williams told (D major) the crowd
(A major) to let the Stigols go.
(D major) He said, come on inside my house,
you'll get hurt (G major) if you stay here. (A major)
(G major) And Williams led the Stigols
(D major) inside (A major) his own house there.
(D major) And though this man had saved them,
police (G major) got on his trail.
(D major) Noth (G major) ing less than a kid
(A major) napped charge,
twenty years to life in (D major) jail.
And then the mighty FBI
joined (G major) in
to help the Klan,
(D major) With vicious (G major) posters tacked (D major) up
in post offices (A major) through the land,
(D major) Saying Rob was armed and dangerous,
and schizo (G major) phrenic too,
(D major) As though (G major) to shoot him down
(D major) on sight
would be the safest (A major) thing to do.
(D major) But Rob escaped to Canada,
and then (G major) to Mexico,
an (D major) d now (G major) he stays in Cuba
(A major) where the FBI can't go. (D major)
(G major) (A major) (D major) (G major) (D major) (A major) (D major)
And now a make -believe trial
comes in (G major) 1962
an (D major) (G major) d we are wondering
if in (D major) Monroe
that justice (A major) can come through.
(D major) Perhaps when it gets
to the Supreme Court
they'll (G major) get a better shake,
(D major) But (G major) it's in the hearts of you (A major) an d me,
the decision must be made.
(D major) For we are all as guilty,
till we make (G major) that day to come,
(D major) When Rober (G major) t Williams can (D major) re turn
to his Union (A major) County (D major) home.
So listen, Mr. President,
and listen, (G major) Brother Bob,
(D major) If you (G major) de fend the free (A major) world,
(D major) here is (A major) a little job.
(D major) If you don't believe the words I say,
(G major) go see it for yourself.
(D major) Go (G major) down and visit old Mon (A major) roe,
but be careful of your health.
(D major) There's lots of good people in Monroe,
but (G major) they are scared to (D major) say,
Go (G major) down to old (D major) Monroe, Bob,
tell them (A major) this is the USA. (D major)
They say the German people
the crimes (G major) of Hitler never knew,
(D major) Well, (G major) let American people (D major) see
what fascist (A major) s here can do,
(D major) For we've had enough of murder,
we've (G major) had enough of (D major) lies,
(A major) And the Ku (G major) Klux Klan
and ol' (A major) Monroe
is due to be surprised.
(D major) For in Washington and round
the world
we're being (G major) asked today
(D major) Is Monroe, (G major) North Carolina
(D major) in the (A major) good ol' USA?
(D major) Monroe, Monroe,
I (G major) hear those voices (D major) say
Is (G major) Monroe, North Carolin (D major) a
in the (A major) good ol' USA? (D major)
Bye
Ballad Of Old Monroe
Pete Seeger
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