We Want Our Freedom Now (Bridging The Gap)

Lyrics: Traditional
Music: Traditional

Sung a capella by Joan Baez at the end of the Cambodian Refugee Benefit at the Oakland-Almeda Countu Coliseum on 13 January 1980. The Grateful Dead performed their set (following performances from Joan Baez, Carlos Santana, The Beach Boys and Jefferson Starship). Then Joan Baez came back out and led many members of the bands in this song and in "Amazing Grace". At least some members of the Dead were on stage with her since at one point she calls on Jerry Garcia to play a solo. (Thanks to Dan Franzen for alerting me to this)

The song is often listed in setlists as "Bridging The Gap" or "Land Of A Thousand Dances". It is indeed listed as "Bridging The Gap" on the Joan Baez album "Live in 1975". I've not found the origins of the song, but in other Joan Baez recordings its title is given as "We Want Our Freedom Now" (and credited as "Traditional"). It's not to be confused with Paul And Silas even though it includes some lyrics in common.

I said na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, nan na nan na
Oh yeah
I said na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, nan na nan na
All right

Well Paul and Silas, oh yeah
Were bound in jail, oh yeah
And they had nobody, oh yeah
To pay their bail, oh yeah

I said na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, nan na nan na
All right, what did I say
I said na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, nan na nan na
All right, OK, uh-huh

I don't know, oh yeah
But I've been told, oh yeah
The streets in Heaven, oh yeah
Are covered with gold, oh yeah

I said na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, nan na nan na
Oh yeah, all right
I said na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, nan na nan na
All right, OK

Deep [river] Jordan, oh yeah
Is chilly and wide, oh yeah
And I want my freedom, oh yeah
But I�m on this side, oh yeah

I said na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, nan na nan na
All right, OK
I said na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, nan na nan na
Jerry, Jerry Garcia

[Jerry plays a solo]

Paul and Silas, oh yeah
Were bound in jail, oh yeah
And they had nobody, oh yeah
To pay their bail, oh yeah

I said na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, nan na nan na
Oh yeah, OK, uh-huh
I said na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, nan na nan na
All right, one more time

Paul and Silas, oh yeah
Bound in jail, oh yeah
And they had nobody, oh yeah
To pay their bail, oh yeah

I said na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, nan na nan na
OK, one more time
I said na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, nan na nan na
Oh yeah

Spoken:
If there is such a thing as a Newport draft resistance, this song is dedicated to it

Well Paul and Silas, oh yeah
Were bound in jail, oh yeah
And they had nobody, oh yeah
To go and pay their bail, oh yeah

I said na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, nan na nan na
Want my freedom now

And the Mississippi River, oh yeah
Is chilly and cold, oh yeah
And it chills my body
But not my soul

I said na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, nan na nan na
Want my freedom now

Well I don�t know, oh yeah
But I�ve been told
That the halls of Leavenworth
Are lined with gold

I said na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, nan na nan na
Want my freedom now

Well Paul and Silas, oh yeah
Were bound in jail, oh yeah
And they had nobody, oh yeah
To go and pay their bail, oh yeah

I said na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, nan na nan na
Want my freedom now

Well the Mississippi River, oh yeah
Is deep and wide, oh yeah
And I want my freedom
While I�m on this side

I said na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, nan na nan na
Want my freedom now

Well Paul and Silas, oh yeah
Were bound in jail, oh yeah
And they had nobody, oh yeah
To go and pay their bail, oh yeah

I said na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, nan na nan na
Want my freedom now

Amen, thank you