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Singing the Spirit Home

from Counting Waves & others by Ed VandenDool

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This Eric Bogle song tells the true story of a man who was imprisoned and executed under the former Apartheid political system in South Africa

lyrics

They came for him in the morning, an hour before dawning
The pale white moon was waning in the African sky
The cell door flew wide open, they stood looking at him
He saw no mercy in their hearts, no pity in their eyes

As they took him and they bound him, tied his trembling hands behind him
He felt his courage leave him, his manhood disappear
His legs would not support him, so from the cell they dragged him
He sobbed and screamed and cursed them in his loneliness and fear

Chains, chains, chains, How many souls have died in freedom's name
To some it is a way of life, to others just a word
To some it is a snow-white dove, to some a bloody sword
But until the last chains fall, freedom will make slaves of us all

With faces closed and hidden the white guards walked beside him
Indifferent to his pleading - they'd been down this path before
But other eyes were watching, other ears were listening
Other hearts beat with him in his final desperate hour

From the darkness of that prison came the sound of his brothers singing
Courage, their voices told him, you do not walk alone
From their cells beyond the shadow he heard their voices echo
As in love and pride and sorrow they sang his spirit home

Chains, chains, chains, How many souls have died in freedom's name
To some it is a way of life, to others just a word
To some it is a snow-white dove, to some a bloody sword
But until the last chains fall, freedom will make slaves of us all

Their song of hope and freedom, it rang inside that prison
It beat against the iron bars and crashed against the stone
As in their fear and hate they hung him, the last sound that filled his being
Was his brothers singing, singing his spirit home

Courage, brother, you do not walk alone
We shall walk with you and sing your spirit home

credits

from Counting Waves & others, released October 8, 2014

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Ed VandenDool Brantford, Ontario

Ed VandenDool is a singer / songwriter from Southern Ontario Canada. His songs reflect a personal journey that has taken him around the world. He has performed in India, Israel and China as well as at Summer Festivals in Eastern Canada and in Canada's Arctic. His music is an intensely personal celebration of life, love and the wonders of the world. visit www.edvandendool.com ... more

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