Dream Out Loud

Hands up

Heads high

Say it proud

We rise

Sunday suit, worn at the knees

Mama whisperin', "Baby, say what you believe"

Front pew fire, choir in the air

He wrote sermons in the margins of his fear

Montgomery buses, slow and gray

He said, "Feet tired, but my heart gon' stay"

Jailhouse cot, steel on the wall

Turned that cold little room to a freedom call

Dream out loud, like Martin

Stand that ground, keep marchin'

When the hate get loud, don't harden

Say love, say love, say "We ain't partin'"

Dream out loud, like Martin

From the church house steps to the garden

If the sky feel heavy, you startin'

What he started, what he started (yeah)

Bullhorn barkin', dogs on the chain

He walked straight through all that pain

Letter from a cell, written small, written slow

Turned every page to a "Let my people go"

Front of the line in a thrift store tie

Sweat on his brow, truth in his eyes

Mic stand lean, crowd in a wave

He painted whole worlds with the words he gave

Dream out loud, like Martin

Stand that ground, keep marchin'

When the hate get loud, don't harden

Say love, say love, say "We ain't partin'"

Dream out loud, like Martin

From the church house steps to the garden

If the sky feel heavy, you startin'

What he started, what he started (yeah)

It’s more than a quote on a classroom wall

More than a day when the flags all fall

It’s kids in the street sayin', "That ain’t right"

It’s holdin' hands tight when they dim your light

So when they say "Wait," you say "Now"

When they say "Sit," you say "How?"

How could I bow when a king stood tall?

How could I sleep when I hear that call?

Dream out loud, like Martin

Stand that ground, keep marchin'

When the hate get loud, don't harden

Say love, say love, say "We ain't partin'"

Dream out loud, like Martin

From the church house steps to the garden

If the sky feel heavy, you startin'

What he started, what he started (hey)

Hands up

Heads high

We dream

We rise