Steppenwolf The Wall
Words and music by John Kay, Michael Wilk and Rocket Ritchotte
Crossing the line in the dead of night
Five years old and on the run
This ain't no game, boy, don't make a sound
And watch that man with the gun
Say a prayer for the ones we leave behind, say a prayer for us all
Come take my hand now and hold on tight
Take one last look at that wall
Think of the shattered lives, think of the broken hearts
Think of the battered dreams, of families still torn apart
Wall of bitter tears, wall of crying pain
Wall of chilling fear, you will never keep me here
For I, I shall crawl right down through that wall
I will crawl right on through that wall
That fateful night I was one that got away,
A young and restless renegade
Chasing my dreams, still on the run,
I had some moments in the sun
Years flew by like a speeding bullet train, I sang my songs to one and all
Then came the day when I had a chance to pay
My respects to the names on that wall
I saw the wooden crosses, saw the bloody stains
Saw the gruesome pictures of all the ones that died in vain
Wall of countless victims, wall of endless shame
Had just one thing gone wrong I might have joined that list of names
And I cried for all who died there at the wall
I recall weeping at the wall
"Freedom has many difficulties, and democracy is not perfect,
But we've never had to put a wall up to keep our people in…
While the wall is the most obvious demonstration of the failures of communism,
We take no pride in it…for it is an offense against humanity, separating families,
Dividing husbands and wives, brothers and sisters and
People who wish to be joined together…
All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin
And therefore, as a free man I take pride in the words "Ich bin ein Berliner".
(Excerpts from John F. Kennedy speech at the Berlin wall June 26, 1963)
Turned on the news in November '89
I could not move, I could not speak
Something was burning up in my eyes,
Something wet ran down my cheek
All those laughing faces, all those tears of joy
All those warm embraces of men and women, girls and boys
Sisters and brothers dancing, all singing freedom's song
God, if only I could be there to shake your hands and sing along
Oh I, I would climb right up on that wall
And join you all dancing on the wall
Standing tall walking on the wall
Tear it down, right down to the ground
Tear it down, right down to the ground
© 1989 Black Leather Music, Inc., (BMI), Michael John Music (BMI), Attlebrat
