if i were free
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros Lyrics

If I were free
If I had complete freedom

I would run into battles with flowers and hugs
I would face conflicts and disagreements with peace and love

And bow at the boots of our well-oiled thugs
And show respect to those in power or authority

Yes, if I were free
Yes, if I had complete freedom

I would yell out "I love you!" to all I passed
I would express love freely to everyone around me

I would disrobe and disco and rip off my mask
I would shed my inhibitions and express myself freely without fear

Yes, if I were free I'd be the 'U' that crossed the 'i' to simply 'b'
Yes, if I had complete freedom I would change the spelling of the word 'I' to 'i' to reflect a more humble sense of self

Minding our reflections at the bottom of the sea
Being mindful of our inner selves and reflecting on our lives in a serene environment

What did you see?
What did you notice or observe?

I saw that you and I forever have been free
I realized that we have always been free in our inner selves

The light became too heavy and I fell into a dream
I became overwhelmed by the intensity of the experiences and had a moment of reflection

What did you dream?
What did you imagine or envision?

I dreamed a wind that would sweep
I imagined a gust of wind that would bring about sweeping changes

Every castle made of sand
Every fleeting or temporary structure

Out across the old far holy land
Beyond the boundaries and limitations of traditional beliefs and values

Oh, if this were free
Oh, if we had complete freedom

We'd be free of the terror of the graves
We would no longer be afraid of death

And fear masquerading as the brave
And the false courage or bravado that is really just a cover for fear

I woke upon a pig of red, white and blue
I woke up on a representation of patriotism or nationalism

The circus got too heavy so we fell into the zoo
Our reality became too overwhelming so we retreated further into a state of chaos

What did you feel?
What emotions or sensations did you experience?

I felt the fear that every queer does in his head
I felt the same fear that anyone who is different may feel

First thing to starting over, I made sure I was dead
The first step to finding a new life was to let go of the old one

Swimming with ancients, laughing, tired of getting lost
Swimming with wise people, enjoying life, and tired of feeling aimless

We took our left, remember, when we leaned upon the cross
We chose a different path, and despite the criticism or opposition, we stayed true to our beliefs

I saw that you and I forever have been free
I realized that we have always been free in our inner selves

The light became too heavy and we fell into a dream
The intensity of the experiences we had became too much, and we had a moment of reflection