The Battle Hymn of Women
Lyrics © 2013 Meredith Tax
- Tune
- The Battle Hymn of the Republic
- Written by
- Meredith Tax
- Gaggle
- Seattle
Know the tune The Battle Hymn of the Republic? You're ready.
Record your gaggle singing it and we'll feature it here.
- Read the lyrics through once silently before singing.
- If the original tune is unfamiliar, look it up first.
- Modify freely. Every gaggle adapts songs to local issues.
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the flame of women’s rage
Kept smoldering for centuries, now burning in this age.
No longer are we prisoners in that old gilded cage
That’s why we’re marching on.
Chorus:
Move on over or we’ll move you
Move on over or we’ll move you
Move on over or we’ll move you
For women’s time has come!
You have told us to speak softly, to be gentle and to smile
Expected us to change ourselves with every passing style.
The only work for women was to clean and sweep and file
That’s why we’re marching on!
Chorus
It is we who’ve done your cooking, done your cleaning, kept your rules.
We gave birth to your children and we taught them in your schools.
We’ve kept the system running but we’re laying down our tools.
That’s why we’re marching on!
Chorus
We have broken through our shackles, now we sing a battle song
We march for liberation and we’re many millions strong
We’ll build a new society, we’ve waited much too long,
That’s why we’re marching on!
Chorus, twice, ending: YES, women’s time has come!
Free to sing, share, and print with credit to Meredith Tax and the Seattle Raging Grannies. Not for sale. raginggrannies.org