Quiet Rebellion

Sea Shanty-folk with sharp wooden-floor stomp transients; husky male lead and stacked group call-and-response, opening into a full harmony chorus; lively driving pulse with a slight slowdown at the outro; fiddle leads over shaker, drums, bass, claps, and heavy foot stomps

The King sat high on his golden throne,
(Leave the line, leave the line)
He said, "Bow your head or be cast alone!"
(Leave the line, boys, leave the line)
But we kept our hats on in the courtroom floor,
We wouldn't pay tithes to his holy war.
So we raised the canvas and we caught the wind,
And we left the tyrant's world behind!
[Chorus ] 
So stomp your feet and raise the cry!
The Inner Light is a fire in the sky!
No king, no musket, no judge's rule,
They can call us a rebel, they can call us a fool!
We’re bound for the wild and the rolling sea,
To find what it means to be truly free!
[Verse 2 ]
We dropped our anchor in Boston Bay,
(Pull 'er round, pull 'er round)
But the Pilgrim law-men barred the way,
(Pull 'er round, boys, pull 'er round)
They raised up the gallows on the bloody green,
For the quietest rebels the world had seen.
They cut off our ears and they whipped our skin,
But they couldn't kill the spirit that burned within!
[Chorus]
So stomp your feet and raise the cry!
The Inner Light is a fire in the sky!
No king, no musket, no judge's rule,
They can call us a rebel, they can call us a fool!
We’re bound for the wild and the rolling sea,
To find what it means to be truly free!
[Verse 3]
So we broke away south to the island shore,
(Haul away, haul away)
Where the Matinecock nation opened up the door,
(Haul away, boys, haul away)
They didn't see enemies, they didn't see thieves,
We sat in the shade of the cedar trees.
We traded in peace and we planted the grain,
Two different peoples on the very same plain.
[Bridge ]
Then the drums of the Revolution rolled,
And the world went mad for the iron and gold.
They handed us muskets and they told us to kill,
To fight for the congress on the bloody hill.
But we stood like a rock in a crashing tide...
We took no musket, and we took no side!
They called us cowards 'cause we wouldn't bleed,
But a peaceful heart is a dangerous breed!
[Verse 4 ]
So we hitched up the teams in the midnight cold,
(Northward bound, northward bound)
Turned our backs on the flag and the lies they told,
(Northward bound, boys, northward bound)
Through the swamp and the thicket to the northern star,
Where Canada’s forests run deep and far.
We crossed the great water to the land of the pine,
Exiles of conscience at the end of the line!
[Outro ]
Now the world is still shouting for the drums of war,
And they're knocking again at the Quaker's door.
Will you take up the steel? Will you bow to the crowd?
Or stand in the silence, defiant and proud?

Keep the fire in the quiet!
(Ho!!) 
Let the Inner Light burn!
(Hey!!) 
Boys, the tide’s gonna turn...
Yeah, the tide’s gonna turn!

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The King sat high on his golden throne, (Leave the line, leave the line) He said, "Bow your head or be cast alone!" (Leave the line, boys, leave the line) But we kept our hats on in the courtroom floor, We wouldn't pay tithes to his holy war. So we raised the canvas and we caught the wind, And we left the tyrant's world behind! [Chorus ] So stomp your feet and raise the cry! The Inner Light is a fire in the sky! No king, no musket, no judge's rule, They can call us a rebel, they can call us a fool! We’re bound for the wild and the rolling sea, To find what it means to be truly free! [Verse 2 ] We dropped our anchor in Boston Bay, (Pull 'er round, pull 'er round) But the Pilgrim law-men barred the way, (Pull 'er round, boys, pull 'er round) They raised up the gallows on the bloody green, For the quietest rebels the world had seen. They cut off our ears and they whipped our skin, But they couldn't kill the spirit that burned within! [Chorus] So stomp your feet and raise the cry! The Inner Light is a fire in the sky! No king, no musket, no judge's rule, They can call us a rebel, they can call us a fool! We’re bound for the wild and the rolling sea, To find what it means to be truly free! [Verse 3] So we broke away south to the island shore, (Haul away, haul away) Where the Matinecock nation opened up the door, (Haul away, boys, haul away) They didn't see enemies, they didn't see thieves, We sat in the shade of the cedar trees. We traded in peace and we planted the grain, Two different peoples on the very same plain. [Bridge ] Then the drums of the Revolution rolled, And the world went mad for the iron and gold. They handed us muskets and they told us to kill, To fight for the congress on the bloody hill. But we stood like a rock in a crashing tide... We took no musket, and we took no side! They called us cowards 'cause we wouldn't bleed, But a peaceful heart is a dangerous breed! [Verse 4 ] So we hitched up the teams in the midnight cold, (Northward bound, northward bound) Turned our backs on the flag and the lies they told, (Northward bound, boys, northward bound) Through the swamp and the thicket to the northern star, Where Canada’s forests run deep and far. We crossed the great water to the land of the pine, Exiles of conscience at the end of the line! [Outro ] Now the world is still shouting for the drums of war, And they're knocking again at the Quaker's door. Will you take up the steel? Will you bow to the crowd? Or stand in the silence, defiant and proud? Keep the fire in the quiet! (Ho!!) Let the Inner Light burn! (Hey!!) Boys, the tide’s gonna turn... Yeah, the tide’s gonna turn!

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