Free Will
November 2018- February 2019, Gibson Chase-Pinkney

(Verse 1)
When he was a toddling lad             
He thought a cactus a toy      
He reached out and grabbed, and his hand it was stabbed     
Dread terror replacing his joy   
but he done of his own free will 
He chose of his own free will     

(Verse 2)
When he was tall as a suckling goat    
Around the cookfire he ran
When his foot twisted down
and he smashed to the ground
and he burned up and mangled his hand
but he done of his own free will
He chose of his own free will

(Verse 3)
Scarce did the feeling return to his fingers
Though mighty a scar did remain
A smooth man sold him balm
That would soothe and would calm
But instead caused more damage and pain
But he bought of his own free will
He chose of his own free will

(Counterverse 1)
His parents were through with this burdensome boy
And sent him to work on a farm
To haul chaff, and split logs and feed orange rinds to hogs
And keep himself distant from harm

(Counterverse* 2)
While other boys learned how to add or to spell
The boy toiled and labored all day
Learning nothing of books
or how the wider world looks
Folks shook their heads and did say
He stayed dumb of his own free will
He stayed dumb of his own free will

(Omniverse 1)
When the boy was of age the farm sent him away
To work at a shop for a trade
But no foreman would have an illiterate scab
except a strange man with a spade
He went of his own free will
He went of his own free will

(Counterverse 3)
That night the boy found what the man did for work
Crossing through field, turf and hedge
Digging up graves
for the riches they gave
And the dead couldn't mind, they were dead

(Counterverse* 4)
One night things went wrong for the boy and the man
Sneaking into the church yard
Townsmen lay in wait
Just past the back gate
And set on them both, and quite hard
He chose to steal of his own free will
They were thieves of their own free will

(Verse 4)
The great hall the next day saw them stand to be judged
Not a word said in either's defense
The judge stood and cried
All evil men, they must die
For such crimes, death is your recompense
They chose evil of their own free will
They chose to sin of their own free will

Questions about this song? Email me at gibson@gibson.show