To Be Free Lyrics & Chords By Strawbs

Cousins

The gilt-edged invitation came and I said : 'What can this mean ?'
'To attend the coronation as the first guest of the Queen'
'And sit upon her right hand where the Prince is normally seen ?'
The maids of honour stared at me and registered surprise
To see a man of such good taste appear before their eyes
Now bring rather humble, I adopted a disguise
As the Minister of State for Mass Environment Controls
Who condemn the working classes for inhabiting the holes
That belong to Queen and Country but do not permit their souls
To be free like me
To be free like me
Oh to be free.

The perspex chandelier began to melt and slip away
One million candle-powered, it kept the night at bay
While the power station workers were busy making hay
The workers in the fields were engaged in self-defence
Which involved the use of barbed wire as a self-containing fence
But as a means of self-protection, it was needlessly immense
I stopped to ask them for a light, they pointed at the sun
Which raised their hopes of harvesting a better crop than guns
Can ever mass produce at the expense of anyone
Who is free like me
Who is free like me
Oh who is free.

The solitary peasant in his home above the lake
Raised high on wooden stilts, has made the singular mistake
Of revolutionary conduct at the celebration wake
His urban counterpart engaged in mundane occupation
Enjoys the chance of laughing at the Queen's humiliation
At the hands of Ministers of State for Rehabilitation
Now the power station worker though his aim is too disjointed
Finds himself around the corner while his gun is never pointed
He is ever at the ready, he desires to be annointed
And be free like me
And be free like me
And be free like me
Oh and be free.