Story Behind The Song

The Missouri Compromise of 1820 allowed for States to have Slavery below the 36th parallel with all other states and new teerritories being slave free. Dred Scott, was a slave living in a Free State. His master moved to a Slave state and died there. The question arose..if you live in a free state are you FREE? if so, you cannot be returned to a slave position by merey being in a slave state. This went to the Supreme Court of the USA in 1850 where 7 judges decided that a slave(Black or Mulatto) has NO rights of citizenship and, therefore must remain the property of any owner...hence the Missouri Compromise was repealed in 1857

Lyrics

i was living in a free state
beyond the devil's maw
never thought freedom
could be trumped by any man's law

i was some man's possession
like his rifle or his maul
and like a disembodied spirit
i had no rights at all

what the lord hath given me
the courts can now take away
nothing's held more sacred
than words the just men say

i was only 1/2 a man
at my master's beckon'd call
i could not sue for clemency
no freedom and justice for all

citizenry did abound
in this new Independent land
til 7 wise men took back
what was placed in a black man's hands

what the lord hath given me
the courts can now take away
nothing's held more sacred
than words the just men say

the winds of change are blowin'
through this lands
those dreams and promises
sank quickly into sand

Buchanan was the lame duck
tried to pull the old "hide and slide"
ol Abe he was disgusted
by the unmitigating pride

living in a house divided
those cards are about to fall
and a blasphemy issues
from those Southern Walls

what the lord hath given me
the courts can now take away
nothing's held more sacred
than words the just men say