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