Henry's Songbook

Somewhere inside my soul there is an echo of my youth
Some pithy little saying that contained a grain of truth
If patience is a virtue, persistence is its mark
It's better light a candle than stand and curse the dark
But if we stand together we might turn this world around
Hold your ground

In the corridors of power where our voice is seldom heard
The status quo is what they want, can get it with a word
For us it takes a thousand voices, a million angry shouts
To notify the ship of state to bring its course about
But if we pull together we might turn this ship around
Hold your ground

Oh this world is changing
Spinning out through space and time
Oh it's rearranging
All the things we thought were yours and mine
You've got to hold your ground
Hold your ground
Hold your ground
Hold your ground

Sometimes it seems the motion is strictly retrograde
There are so many reversals of advances that you've made
The things you thought were changing have shuddered to a halt
The only view is forward when your back's against the wall
But if we stand together we might turn this world around
Hold your ground

You've got to hold your ground
Hold your ground
Hold your ground
Hold your ground

It isn't for the faint of heart to bet when odds are long
And neither is it easy to be right in face of wrong
You must proceed from strength to strength although the road is rough
And sometimes human courage just isn't quite enough
But if we stand together we might turn this world around

Hold your ground
Hold your ground
Hold your ground

Oh this world is changing

[1993:] About the fight against Canada's Meech Lake accord, part of the country's ongoing constitutional battle. [...] Sometimes it's as simple as a phrase. 'Hold your ground' suggested a whole bunch of things to me. (James Keelaghan, Sing Out 38/2)