Hold the Line lyrics

Let me tell you the story of a line that was held

And many brave men and women whose courage we know well

How we held the line at Peekskill on that long September day!

We will hold the line forever till the people have their way

[Chorus (after each verse):]

Hold the line!

Hold the line!

As we held the line at Peekskill

We will hold it everywhere

Hold the line!

Hold the line!

We will hold the line forever

Till there's freedom ev'rywhere

There was music, there was singing, people listened everywhere;

The people they were smiling, so happy to be there -

While on the road behind us, the fascists waited there

Their curses could not drown out the music in the air

The grounds were all surrounded by a band of gallant men

Shoulder to shoulder, no fascist could get in

The music of the people was heard for miles around

Well guarded by the workers, their courage made us proud

When the music was all over, we started to go home

We did not know the trouble and the pain that was to come

We go into our buses and drove out through the gate

And saw the gangster police, their faces filled with hate

Then without any warning the rocks began to come

The cops and troopers laughed to see the damage that was done

They ran us through a gauntlet, to their everlasting shame

And the cowards there attacked us, damnation to their name

All across the nation the people heard the tale

And marveled at the concert, and knew we had not failed

We shed our blood at Peekskill, and suffered many a pain

But we beat back the fascists and we'll beat them back again!

• Artist:Pete Seeger
• Album:Headlines and Footnotes: A Collection of Topical Songs