Digital Tradition Mirror

You Can't Keep Me From Singing

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

You Can't Keep Me From Singing
(Gordon MacDonald, Jr./tune: How Can I Keep From Singing?)

 My life flows on, but something's wrong--I'm caught in consternation;
 Whenever I begin to sing there's rising agitation.
 My singing voice was not my choice, Fate brought it sweetly winging,
 Since Fate's to blame, I now proclaim: you can't keep me from singing!

 My voice is hoarse, but then, of course, a sweet smooth voice is boring.
 And if a song be sad or long, I pep it up by roaring!
 To sing on pitch is something which was not in my upbringing;
 To sing off-key sounds fine to me, you can't keep me from singing!

 If I sing just right I can incite a peaceful group to riot
 Or offer me a handsome fee if only I'll be quiet!
 But I don't bargain with a mob, though tar and feathers they're bringing,
 Put down that noose and turn me loose you can't keep me from singing!

 The birds have fled my neighborhood, their tiny eardrms shattered;
 My neighbours, too, have said, "Adieu!", but it hasn't really mattered.
 My daily mail brings threats of death and curses coarse and stinging,
 I heed them not they're a tin-eared lot
 and they can't keep me from singing!

 Each living thing its song must sing, life sings to life in chorus;
 Our song brings courage when we do not know what lies before us.
 Our songs of freedom, love and hope down through the ages ringing--
 Cold Death defy and that is why you can't keep me from singing!

 (Dedicated to those of us who cannot sing but do anyway.)

 No rights reserved. Lyrics may be reproduced on the side of a building, on nove
lty
 toilet paper or on any reasonably flat surface in between without compensation
to the author;
 just sing the bloody song and get on with it.

AX
apr00

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!