Martin Luther King in Alabama
Faced a howling mob with just a Bible in his hand
He could hear the distant thunder
He knew his days were numbered
But he believed in freedom
And so he never ran
Chorus
He said
You've got to stand
Stand like steel
And carry your cross through the fire
That's part of the deal
You've got to stand
Stand like steel
Nobody ever promised a garden of roses
Nobody gets to heaven without a fight
That's right
Stand like steel
A South African named Stephen Biko
Spoke against Apartheid
And the tyrants in his land
They locked him up to their own disgrace
But he told the truth as they slapped his face
He said, "You can take my life
But there'll be someone to take my place"
Chorus
Now we all must fight our private battles
To tear away this darkness
That enslaves us from our birth
It takes more than guts
To be strong enough
It's an act of faith in the power of love
And we dare not talk of freedom
Until we're free from our own curse
Chorus
STAND LIKE STEEL
Martin Luther King in Alabama
Faced a howling mob with just a Bible in his hand
He could hear the distant thunder
He knew his days were numbered
But he believed in freedom
And so he never ran
Chorus
He said
You've got to stand
Stand like steel
And carry your cross through the fire
That's part of the deal
You've got to stand
Stand like steel
Nobody ever promised a garden of roses
Nobody gets to heaven without a fight
That's right
Stand like steel
A South African named Stephen Biko
Spoke against Apartheid
And the tyrants in his land
They locked him up to their own disgrace
But he told the truth as they slapped his face
He said, "You can take my life
But there'll be someone to take my place"
Chorus
Now we all must fight our private battles
To tear away this darkness
That enslaves us from our birth
It takes more than guts
To be strong enough
It's an act of faith in the power of love
And we dare not talk of freedom
Until we're free from our own curse
Chorus
STAND LIKE STEEL
Martin Luther King in Alabama
Faced a howling mob with just a Bible in his hand
He could hear the distant thunder
He knew his days were numbered
But he believed in freedom
And so he never ran
Chorus
He said
You've got to stand
Stand like steel
And carry your cross through the fire
That's part of the deal
You've got to stand
Stand like steel
Nobody ever promised a garden of roses
Nobody gets to heaven without a fight
That's right
Stand like steel
A South African named Stephen Biko
Spoke against Apartheid
And the tyrants in his land
They locked him up to their own disgrace
But he told the truth as they slapped his face
He said, "You can take my life
But there'll be someone to take my place"
Chorus
Now we all must fight our private battles
To tear away this darkness
That enslaves us from our birth
It takes more than guts
To be strong enough
It's an act of faith in the power of love
And we dare not talk of freedom
Until we're free from our own curse