Song Description
Based upon Rev. Martin Neimoller's famous letter during WWII regarding his opposition to Hitler and the German people and their silent consent to the Holocaust
| Song Length |
3:26 |
Genre |
Folk - General, Folk - Contemporary |
| Tempo |
Very Slow (Under 70) |
Lead Vocal |
Duet Male/Female |
| Mood |
Moving, Nonviolent |
Subject |
Judgement, General |
| Language |
English |
Era |
2000 and later |
Lyrics
By My Silence
Ac 2008 writen by Ellen Bukstel & Nick Annis
I'm not a communist
So when they came for the communists
I held my tongue
Minded my own business like a good neighbor
I trusted that justice be done
I didn't ask what was their crime
It was their sadness wasn't mine
I didn't care where they were sent
By my silence I gave my consent
By my silence I gave my consent
I am not Jewish
So when they came for the Jews
I had nothing to say
Branded with stars like cattle in box cars
And then taken away
I didn't ask what was their crime
It was their sadness wasn't mine
I didn't care where they were sent
By my silence, I gave my consent
By my silence, I gave my consent
I didn't care when they came for the Unionists
Came for the socialists, took the powerless
I'm not a terrorist, I'm not an immigrant
I'm native born faithfully ignorant
I didn't care what was their crime
'til their sorrow turned into mine
I was ok, I was a citizen and I was free
I didn't care now there's nobody there
No one to speak out for me
At the time I believed
It never'd happen to me
I didn't know what it meant
For my silence to give my consent
For my silence to be my consent
By my silence I give my consent