Sharleen wrote this song after visiting the site of the first Woman's Rights Convention which took place in July 1848 in the rural upstate town of Seneca Falls, NY. The song chronicles the 72-year-long struggle waged by American women for the vote which culminated in the 19th Amendment to U.S. Constitution.
The song begins with Lucretia Mott, an accomplished and renowned orator from Massachusetts, being silenced by the male leaders of the World Anti-Slavery Convention which was convening in London, England. Ironically, that was where the radical suffragist Alice Paul learned the civil disobedience tactics she would later utilize in Washington, DC to lead the movement to victory on August 26, 1920.
Lyrics
Lucretia Mott sailed the sea
To speak out against slavery
But a rule of silence shut her down
“Your voice cannot be allowed”
Said the all male convention crowd
“This is a public place
And a woman can’t utter a sound”
Their hypocrisy so absurd
As they wrapped themselves in freedom’s words
While holding the chains of male domination
With Elizabeth Stanton at her side
Lucretia vowed to turn the tide
And together they planted the seeds
Of a Revolution
Through chilly winds and the darkest nights
They held on like geese in flight
For their sisters’ sake preparing to fight
In a little town near Seneca Falls in rural upstate NY
Elizabeth and Lucretia called a meeting
Five women in a circle having tea
Yearning for equality
A Woman’s Rights Convention
They decided they would be needing
1848 in the heat of July
Women and girls came from far and wide
Daring to confront their state of subjugation
Elizabeth Stanton had taken the floor
For the right to vote she did implore
And the words she spoke
Would echo for generations
Through chilly winds and the darkest nights
They held on like geese in flight
For their sisters’ sake
Gettin’ ready to fight
Brave leaders emerged to advance the cause
Truth, Gage, Alice Paul
Hungering in prison to amend the Constitution
After 72 years of struggle and pain
With the 19th Amendment women overcame
In August 1920 we marched in jubilation
Now all these years later
We’ve made many gains
But the patriarchy still remains
In a constant state of war with all Creation
Rising from the seeds our foremothers sowed
Millions of women are coming to know
That the fate of Mother Earth
Depends on our mobilization
Through chilly winds and the darkest nights
We’ll hold on like geese in flight
For all our sake we gotta fight
Through chilly winds and the darkest nights
We’ll hold on like geese in flight
For Mother Earth we gotta fight
We gotta fight
We gotta fight