(chorus) He knew the straights would kill him And many people sobbed His murderer walked the street But Harvey Milk lives on!
(verses) He came from the East out to San Francisco He hung with the people on a street they called Castro He rapped with all the youth who marched against their War He spread his love around, he mingled with the poor. (chorus)
He fought to be himself, he fought for the right to love He linked arms with the people and sensed their vibration He fought the Establishment, he went to City Hall He united all his brothers and sisters and the poor. (chorus)
But the straights are all sore losers and their right-wing thugs have guns And there are many men like Dan White who do not know how to love And they want to push the people back into closets and off the streets For they want us to be passive slaves and mask our deep feelings. (chorus)
So Dan White snuck into City Hall and gunned Harvey Milk right down And although Harvey was not armed, his killer freely walked around And the people then hit the streets, but the media made the jury blind And Dan White got just 5 short years for taking Harvey’s life. (chorus)
He symbolized liberation, he symbolized equality He symbolized the powerless and all those not yet free They cut him down like cowards to stop the march of history But the spirit of Harvey Milk still lives in you and me. (chorus)
The Ballad of Harvey Milk was written during the 1980s after seeing a documentary film about Harvey Milk’s life and his assassination during the 1970s.
To listen to the Ballad of Harvey Milk protest folk song, click on either of the following links: