Union Songs

A Time To Be Singing

A song by Michael Leyden©Michael Leyden 1965

Well I walked into town
And I looked all around
What could I see in the land of the free?
Man against man,
Hate through the land
And people all shouting and jeering at me

Chorus
We don't want nobody making a fuss
And we don't want you if you can't be like us
So just move along and don't you come back
Yes it sure is a time to be singing

Well I walked down the street,
Placard in my hand,
Policeman came up and he pushed me around,
Said, "Come on with me,
I'm moving you on,
I'm taking you down to the outskirts of town
(because ... to chorus.)

I hope it will come, and come Oh so soon,
A day when we can look every man in the eye,
Never to hate,
Never to fear,
and never again to hear the old cry...

Notes

Many thanks to Mike Leyden for permission to include this song in the Union Songs collection

A Time To Be Singing was published in Australian Tradition, November 1965 with the note:
Written after the Aboriginal Freedom Ride by the University students into Walgett town, New South Wales, earlier this year.

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