Death of Medgar Evers lyrics

The country is mourning the death of a soldier,

The death of a soldier who carried no gun.

A courageous soldier who died on his doorstep,

A soldier too brave to turn coward and run.

He never quit fighting, he never quit trying,

He never lost courage and never laid down.

He never lost hope and he never feared dying

And now they have laid him in Arlington ground.

Then sleep, Medgar Evers, your struggle is over,

They thought they could kill you but we know they were wrong,

They might lay you down in the quiet of Arlington

But while we’re living to fight will go on.

The White Council boys made their black ugly phone calls,

Threatening his wife and his children with death.

He spoke to his wife in the dark of their bedroom

And decided to fight them till his dying breath.

The warnings increased and the threats they grew harder

And once in the evening a fire bomb came,

His wife put it out and nobody was injured

And the fire-bombers laughed at their hideous game.

Then sleep, Medgar Evers, your struggle is over,

They thought they could kill you but we know they were wrong,

They might lay you down in the quiet of Arlington

But while we’re living to fight will go on.

Then young Medgar Evers instructed his children

And told them in case of violent sound

They were not to run to see what was the matter

But instantly throu themselves down to the ground.

The threats drew the man and his wife close together

In his arms she would lie in the dark of the night.

And though she was frightened for her husband’s safety

She never would ask him to give up the fight.

Then sleep, Medgar Evers, your struggle is over,

They thought they could kill you but we know they were wrong,

They might lay you down in the quiet of Arlington

But while we’re living to fight will go on.

One night he came home to the point of exhaustion

The porchlight was cheerfully brightening the night,

He walked up the steps as the sniper was aiming

The sniper who had him in his rifle sights.

The bullet struck home and the sniper went [?] flying

And Medgar’s young children, they ran to the door,

His wife tried to stop them but they saw their dad dying,

They saw their dad dying on the living room floor.

Then sleep, Medgar Evers, your struggle is over,

They thought they could kill you but we know they were wrong,

They might lay you down in the quiet of Arlington

But while we’re living to fight will go on.

• Artist:Tom Paxton