There’s a short distance Between the world as it should be And the world as it is I’ve tried to talk you you Through history I am the muse I am your legacy…. And all men are a part of me… You are to be a beacon/Of Life and Liberty I whispered to John Adams/That’s how it’s got to be Now there’s the vision/The rest is up to you And he said, Jefferson please pull through: Chorus 1: Tell ‘em about the dream/Keep hope alive Don’t let the darkness drag you down/It’s our time to rise Tell ‘em about the dream/ the vision you see A place where all men have equal chance for prosperity Tell e’m about the dream tell ‘em about the dream Verse 2 Oh, But like Jerusalem/How you have fallen Because your fathers made a too great compromise You forgot the least of me/Lost your integrity And though the father’s sins are visited on the sons Still I whispered to Lincoln: Chorus 2: Tell ‘em about the dream/Keep hope alive We may be tearing at the seams but now we got to unify Oh tell ‘em about the dream/all men here are free We’re gonna reach out of this heart of darkness to a day we’ve never seen Oh tell ‘em about the dream, tell ‘em about the dream Bridge: I whispered to Roosevelt how the people felt And he said there’s nothing to fear at all but fear itself It paralyzes, don’t forget who you are in crisis…no no no Verse 3: Out of the ashes you had your chances To rise up and grow but you defended Jim Crow So I went sleeping , your people weeping But before your heart could harden I met Martin And Mahalia cried: Chorus: Tell ‘em about the dream keep hope alive Gonna make it over the mountain gonna get to the other side Oh tell ‘em about the dream the vision that you see A place where all God’s children walk together in the land of the free Oh tell em about the dream, tell ‘em about the dream So when you’re down and broken hearted When anger flows like fire through your veins at the injustices you see Don’t let the hatred spread Don’t fall into despair Don’t forget now who you are There’s a chance to repair We the people in order to form a more perfect union see That vision always precedes reality Words of hope stir higher action in times when we are fractured Let words of hope drive away all doubt in the “fierce urgency of now” I am the dream Your foundation Meant for all people of this nation When history comes calling/ What side will you be on? Chorus: Tell em about the dream keep hope alive Don’t let no one divide us with their words b/c we got to unify Tell em about the dream be all that you can be To be a beacon on the hill’s gotta shine with integrity Where some are held down you know that no one’s free, etc. (c) 2008 Laura Vecchione, Selkie Music