(C.Thompson/A.Qunta/K.Reid)

Prisoner by chance
Hostages of circumstance
Find yourself a refugee
Living in your own country
In the shadow of a gun
The curtain's down
And there's nowhere to run

Lies and whispers in the street
Words are hollow and words are cheap
Teaching, preaching in the schools
But people aren't so easily fooled
And you can't hold on
And it mustn't take long

(Chorus)
To free the bird
Give her wings to fly
Free the bird
You can't hold her down much longer
Free the bird
You've got to in the end
No matter what you do
No matter what you say
The bird is gonna fly anyway

Stand up, be bold
Break out of this stranglehold
Shouts of freedom ringing round
Make this wall come tumbling down
And you can't hold on
And it mustn't take long

(Repeat chorus)