Long Time A Comin'
(Jody Stecher)
During the first term of George W Bush, members of his administration characterized those who questioned his policies as being members of the “reality-based community”, as if this was a failing. It was during this nightmarish era that I dreamed a three part fiddle tune. I dreamed it whole and I knew that the title was “ Long Time A-Coming”. I woke up and played the melody on my mandolin several times so as to not lose it. I wondered if it would seek words and if this melody might become a hymn. But the times I lived in sent my mind in a topical direction. I stopped after three verses but new verses may be added by anyone as the times demand.
Long Time A Comin’
© Jody Stecher, Vegetiboy Music (BMI)
Now the New Deal was a long time a comin’
New Deal, people, was a long time a comin’
New Deal, good people, was a long time a comin’
And now they want to take it away
Now they want to take it away
Now they want to take it away
The New Deal was a long time a comin’
And now they want to take it away
Take it away, take it away
Take away the taxes that the rich used to pay
The New Deal was a long time a comin’
And now they want to take it away
A living wage was a long time a comin’
A living wage was a long time a comin’
A living wage was a long time a comin’
And now they want to take it away
Now they want to take it away
Now they want to take it away
A living wage was a long time a comin’
And now they want to take it away
Take it away, take it away
Give the CEOs another raise in their pay
A living wage was a long time a comin’
And now they want to take it away
Your right to a trial was a long time a comin’
A jury trial was a long time a comin’
Trial and a jury was a long time a comin’
And now they want to take it away
Now they want to take it away
Now they want to take it away
A trial and jury was a long time a comin’
And now they want to take it away
Take it away, take it away
“You might be a terrorist” is all they got to say
A trial and jury was a long time a comin’
And now they want to take it away
Take it away, take it away
They want to take it all away
A better life was a long time a comin’
And now they want to take it away
Jody Stecher: vocal and mandolin
Kate Brislin: vocal
Keith Little: vocal
Paul Knight: bass vocal
Eric Thompson: guitar