Was it Cesar Chavez? Maybe it was Dorothy Day Some will say Dr. King or Gandhi set them on their way No matter who your mentors are it's pretty plain to see That, if you've been to jail for justice, you're in good company Have you been to jail for justice? I want to shake your hand Cause sitting in and lyin' down are ways to take a stand Have you sung a song for freedom? or marched that picket line? Have you been to jail for justice? Then you're a friend of mine You law abiding citizens, come listen to this song Laws were made by people, and people can be wrong Once unions were against the law, but slavery was fine Women were denied the vote and children worked the mine The more you study history the less you can deny it A rotten law stays on the books til folks like us defy it The law's supposed to serve us, and so are the police And when the system fails, it's up to us to speak our peace It takes eternal vigilancefor justice to prevail So get courage from your convictions Let them haul you off to jail!