o freedom

billy bragg

the policemen broke my door down

dragged me from my bed

i asked them what was happening

they just ignored the words i said

they waved their guns in my face

kept screaming out my name

something terrible had happened

and somehow i was to blame

o freedom

what liberties are taken in thy name

in thy name

o freedom

what liberties are taken

what liberties are taken

what liberties are taken in thy name

my accusers formed a jury

the judge and the defense

the charges were made known to me

but not the evidence

there was no guilty verdict

yet

still i was detained

flown to another country where

their methods are less constrained

o freedom

what liberties are taken in thy name

in thy name

o freedom

what liberties are taken

what liberties are taken

what liberties are taken in thy name

in our determination

to defend democracy

we must not destroy the safeguards

that underpin our liberty

for who will pay the price if

injustice such as this

turns our protectors to oppressors

and angry men to terrorists?

o freedom

what liberties are taken in thy name

in thy name

o freedom

what liberties are taken

what liberties are taken

what liberties are taken in thy name

Full Lyrics: o freedom - billy bragg