The Soil Remembers

Intro

Blood on the dirt

Blood on the stone

This land knows what it owns

Verse 1

Myall Creek

Eighteen thirty-eight

Cold blades

Cruel fate

The jury lied but the hangman came late

Empty plains

Silent stains

Broken chains

Grandpa bled for the flag you wave

Digging deep

Dug a grave

He was brave

I am brave

The tally is high

The cost is great

Chorus

I won't back down

I won't back down

My kin gave it all to this red dusty ground

From the bush to the wire

From the flood to the fire

I won't back down

I won't back down

Verse 2

Eureka

Stockade

Gold dust

Handmade

Pikes up when the taxman played

We said no

Then the guns started to go

Blood in the mud at the Ballarat show

Nineteen sixteen

Vote no

Voters said

Let them go

Don't drag the boys to the trench down below

Forced to fight

Not tonight

Hold the light

Chorus

I won't back down

I won't back down

My kin gave it all to this red dusty ground

From the bush to the wire

From the flood to the fire

I won't back down

I won't back down

Drop

No more

No more

Locked doors

Losing wars

No more

No more

Verse 3

Blackbirding

Sugar cane

Pacific sweat

Deep pain

Queensland sun burning through the rain

Islands torn

Lives worn

Children born

Manus Island

Nauru coast

Who are we hating the most

Who are we blaming the most

Who are we failing the most

Wave Hill

Long walk

Vincent Lingiari didn't just talk

Seven years

No fears

Changing gears

Handful of sand

Back in the hand

Back to the land

Bridge

They took the youth

They took the truth

They took the roof

But they couldn't take the soul

No they couldn't take the soul

I stand where they fell

I know the story well

I know it well

Chorus

I won't back down

I won't back down

My kin gave it all to this red dusty ground

From the bush to the wire

From the flood to the fire

I won't back down

I won't back down

Outro

The soil remembers

The fire has embers

I'm still standing

I'm still demanding

Justice

Justice

Justice