Have You Been to Jail for Justice?

Was it César Chávez or Rosa Parks that day?

Some say Dr. King or Gandhi that set them on their way

No matter who your mentors are, it's pretty plain to see

That if you've been to jail for justice, you're in good company

Have you been to jail for justice?

I wanna shake your hand

'Cause sitting in and lying down

Are ways to take a stand

Have you sung a song for freedom

Or marched that picket line?

Have you been to jail for justice?

Then you're a friend of mine

Hey, you law-abiding citizens, come listen to this song

Laws are made by people, and people can be wrong

Once unions were against the law, but slavery was fine

Women were denied the vote while the children worked the mine, yeah

The more you study history, the less you can deny it

Say, a rotten law stays on the books till folks with guts defy it

Have you been to jail for justice?

I wanna shake your hand

'Cause sitting in and lying down

Are ways to take a stand

Have you sung a song for freedom

Or marched that picket line?

Have you been to jail for justice?

Then you're a friend of mine

Well, the law is supposed to serve us, and so are the police

But when the system fails, it's up to us to speak our piece

We must be ever vigilant for justice to prevail

So get courage from your convictions, let 'em haul you off to jail

Have you been to jail for justice?

I wanna shake your hand

'Cause sitting in and lying down

Are ways to take a stand

Have you sung a song for freedom

Or marched that picket line?

Have you been to jail for justice?

Then you're a friend of mine

Have you been to jail for justice?

Have you been to jail for justice?

Have you been to jail for justice?

Then you're a friend of mine