To Be Free lyrics by Strawbs - original song full text. Official To Be Free lyrics, 2025 version | LyricsMode.com
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Strawbs – To Be Free lyrics
The gilt-edged invitation came
And I said "What can this mean?
To attend the coronation
As the first guest of the Queen
And sit upon her right hand
Where the Prince is normally seen?"
The maids of honour stared at me
And registered surprise
To see a man of such good taste
Appear before their eyes
Now bring rather humble
I adopted a disguise
As the Minister of State
For Mass Environment Controls
Who condemn the working classes
For inhabiting the holes
That belong to Queen and Country
But do not permit their souls
To be free like me.

The perspex chandelier
Began to melt and slip away
One million candle-powered
It kept the night at bay
While the power station workers
Were busy making hay
The workers in the fields
Were engaged in self-defence
Which involved the use of barbed wire
As a self-containing fence
But as a means of self-protection
It was needlessly immense
I stopped to ask them for a light
They pointed at the sun
Which raised their hopes of harvesting
A better crop than guns
Can ever mass produce
At the expense of anyone
Who is free like me.

The solitary peasant
In his home above the lake
Raised high on wooden stilts
Has made the singular mistake
Of revolutionary conduct
At the celebration wake
His urban counterpart
Engaged in mundane occupation
Enjoys the chance of laughing
At the Queen's humiliation
At the hands of Ministers of State
For Rehabilitation
Now the power station worker
Though his aim is too disjointed
Finds himself around the corner
While his gun is never pointed
He is ever at the ready
He desires to be annointed
And be free like me.
×

The gilt-edged invitation came And I said "What can this mean? To attend the coronation As the first guest of the Queen And sit upon her right hand Where the Prince is normally seen?" The maids of honour stared at me And registered surprise To see a man of such good taste Appear before their eyes Now bring rather humble I adopted a disguise As the Minister of State For Mass Environment Controls Who condemn the working classes For inhabiting the holes That belong to Queen and Country But do not permit their souls To be free like me. The perspex chandelier Began to melt and slip away One million candle-powered It kept the night at bay While the power station workers Were busy making hay The workers in the fields Were engaged in self-defence Which involved the use of barbed wire As a self-containing fence But as a means of self-protection It was needlessly immense I stopped to ask them for a light They pointed at the sun Which raised their hopes of harvesting A better crop than guns Can ever mass produce At the expense of anyone Who is free like me. The solitary peasant In his home above the lake Raised high on wooden stilts Has made the singular mistake Of revolutionary conduct At the celebration wake His urban counterpart Engaged in mundane occupation Enjoys the chance of laughing At the Queen's humiliation At the hands of Ministers of State For Rehabilitation Now the power station worker Though his aim is too disjointed Finds himself around the corner While his gun is never pointed He is ever at the ready He desires to be annointed And be free like me. Explain Request ×



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Songwriters: COUSINS
To Be Free lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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The Strawbs - To be free
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