Free Range Chicken

Story Behind The Song

Free Range from a chicken's perspective. Expose' of irony in the term used to make chicken and meat industry appealing in that such animals have a free or normal life.

Song Description

A chicken tells his story about what it's like in a free range chicken farm, and how he escaped. He is a determined little rascal, and he "ain't goin' back". Acoustic musical presentation in a country, folk, blues type of motif. Features a strong rhythm, old timey mandolin breaks, and a background chorus.

Song Length 4:59 Genre Folk - Country, Folk - Bluegrass
Tempo Medium Slow (91 - 110) Lead Vocal Male Vocal
Mood Livid Subject Farm Animals, Protest
Similar Artists Arlo Guthrie, Woody Guthrie Language English
Era 2000 and later

Lyrics

I'm a Free Range Chicken, (CHORUS)
On the run
I'm a Free Range Chicken,
Ain't hurtin' no one
I'm a free range chicken
Flown the coop
(Ain't goin' back) (ALTERNATE LINE)
Ain't gonna be in your soup
(To that old chicken shack) (ALT LINE)

People talk about their humanity,
You ought to see this chicken farm,
There's no liberty
Ain't no grass, ain't no sun,
Barely room to move
Spend your lifetime layin' them eggs,
Then your time is through

CHORUS

Ain't no range to roam,
Just a chicken factory
The farmer's wife come get you,
Then you're history
Rooster chicks they kill at birth,
Hens to the hatchery
Free is just a myth you see,
Range is just a dream

CHORUS

Them broilers got it worse they say,
Fatten 'em up in just 45 days
From the chopping block
To the chicken pot,
Or some rotisserie
TV dinner, chicken pot pie,
BBQ or a casserole,
Caesar's salad,
Or a Cordon Bleu delight

I saw a hole in the chicken shack,
snuck through late last night
Old dog led me to the side of the road
And I'm movin' along just fine
I don't care if I live or die,
I'll just keep on down the road
Get as far as I can from the smell,
And the hell that us chickens know

CHORUS 2X

Lyrics Thomas Swenson Music Thomas Swenson
Producer Thomas Swenson Performance Thomas Swenson, John Daugherty on Mandolin, Back Porch Moon on Background Vocals

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