Day 26, Song 39

Kyle Craft

Before the Wall

Kyle Craft's debut studio album, Dolls of Highland, was released in 2016.

This song was not written for any politician or agenda. It was written for people and the country I live in. I'm not some unduly political loudmouth and I'm certainly not saying you have to swallow this pill, but for a moment, just think about that wall and what it means to you... Then think about what it means to the people on the other side. The world is not out to get you and, for the most part, people are very kind. As for me, I refuse to be afraid and I will continue to believe that love, understanding, and compassion have the ability to trump fear and evil, which often times go hand in hand, any day. Smile at people you don't have to, love each other. I'll do the same.

P.S. I know it sounds like Bob Dylan, get over it.

Lyrics

If the wall it goes up and the country comes down And it’s too tall to get in too late to get out And the beaches have barbed wire across every shore Would you lay down your gun then you won’t need it no more If the wall it goes up would the thing ever fall Will it stand there forever long after we’re gone As a tombstone for freedom in a world that went wrong A reminder of just how far we haven’t come If the wall it goes up will the temperature drop Will the oil rigs that litter this land get pulled up Will we find some wild new way to save where we’re at Would you do it? No, I doubt it where’s the money in that? If the wall it goes up and you’re stuck here inside And caught with skin color some lawmen don’t like Will they beat you with the same bars they throw you behind If it was you would you resist, give in, or just hide? If the wall it goes up and there’s no need to leave Could I get all I want from the number on the screen? If I dial 1-800 will you bring it to me Straight to my couch the American dream If the wall it goes up and your Jesus comes back And he knocks on the door will you stand to attack If he don’t have his papers and he don’t have much cash Would you take him in, jail him, or just send him back? If the wall it gets built will I get rich like you? Can I buy me a fake wife and a ghostwriter too? And a Rolls Royce to drive down each broke avenue Smiling fat on my high horse through a ghetto so gloom If the wall it goes up around the idiot king And a new Joan of Arc rises against his name Will you stand there beside her, burn her at the stake Or glance at it there on the news the next day? If the wall it gets built like the walls built before Will we be forced to take sides in a new civil war? Where it’s East vs West vs South vs North Versus people with money versus people so poor If the wall it goes up do you think it could stop The bombs coming in from countries you pissed off With your big mouth blowing up like the 4th of July Shut it Donald, shut it please man we don’t want to die But, if the wall it stays down and the people stay free And it’s not quite as bad as you said it would be What if I let you be you and you let me be me It’s a song before the wall for all us to sing It’s a song before the wall for all us to sing