Birdman Songtext
von Ralph McTell

You can kill me if you can
But the last thing you need′s another dead man
Writing with black ink on your page
And I swear that death won't kill my rage

For it′ll take more to hold my tongue
Than your prison and your knives and your clubs and your guns

I don't want no peace prize
I will not do what you say's wise
I′m a birdman but there′s no cage
That's strong enough to hold my rage

I don′t want no peace prize
I will not do what you say's wise
I′m a birdman but there's no cage
That′s strong enough to hold my rage


Now John Henry told his captain,
That a man ain't nothing but a man
But before I let this machine grind me down
I'll die with my hammer in my hand

So the birdman told his jailor
A man ain′t nothing but a man
But before I let your system grind me down
I′ll die with my gun in my hand

I don't want no peace prize
I will not do what you say′s wise
I'm a birdman but there′s no cage
That's strong enough to hold my rage

Those bells do ring, ding dong ding
And I don′t fear no guard
When freedom come maybe with a gun
Outside in the prison yard

I'm a birdman, oh watch me fly
I'm a birdman, death, sweet death
She can′t hold me