PureInsight | April 9, 2006
[PureInsight.org]
Words and Music by Randall Effner
Vocals: Randall, Dianna, and Sara Effner
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Set them Free
I hear the chimes of freedom ring again
I heard them once before when they were blowing in the wind
The Chinese people walk in chains, they're longing to be free
It's time to tell the world the truth about the CCP
I'd like to paint a picture in this song,
About what it's like in China if you practice Falun Gong,
Or if you are a Christian or you're for democracy
They'll put you in a prison cell and throw away the key.
Set them free, set them free, set them free, set them free
Set them free, set them free, set them free, set them free
The labor camps are like a living hell
Where you're beaten, starved and brainwashed and there's nowhere to appeal
There is no law or justice, there is just the CCP
Who hide their evil deeds behind a cloak of secrecy.
The free world should stand up for liberty
But now we sell out human rights to buy a cheap TV,
We see slavery and torture and we turn our head aside
I'd rather spend a little more than pay for genocide.
Set them free, set them free, set them free, set them free
Set them free, set them free, set them free, set them free
The world will not forget the Berlin Wall
And how the people danced with joy, just to see it fall
The Chinese leaders shake with fear remembering that day
They know their time is almost up and soon they'll have to pay.
The blood red dragon can no longer fly
Nine swords have pierced its armor and it looks about to die
Now millions of its members have renounced it publicly
The world will be a better place without the CCP.
Set them free, set them free, set them free, set them free
Set them free, set them free, set them free, set them free
Editors' Note:
"Set Them Free" by Randall Effner received an "Honor" award for Lyric Writing at the 7th Annual Great American Song Contest.
Created by songwriters, the Great American Song Contest focuses on
helping songwriters and lyricists improve their skills while providing
opportunities to have their work be seen and heard by music publishers,
producers, and music media. Every entry receives a written evaluation
from the contest judges.
This year's contest had 1800 entries overall, with 500 entries in the
Lyric Writing category. In this group, in addition to the first place
winner, four songs earned "Outstanding Achievement" awards, eight won
awards as "Finalists" and fifteen more songs, including "Set Them Free"
won "Honor" awards.
"Set Them Free" was originally written in the summer of 2005 for a
large march and rally to "Quit the CCP" (Tuidang) held at the Lincoln
Memorial in Washington DC. Since then, it's been performed live or
recordings of it have been played at numerous Tuidang rallies around
the world, including New York, Boston, Miami, Australia, London, and
other places.
In Randall's words: "A friend in Washington DC asked me to try to write
a song for the rally, something specific to the movement to Quit the
CCP. Actually, I had already been thinking about writing such a song
for a long time, and this provided the added incentive I needed. I
remembered the powerful impact the protest songs of the 60s had on the
civil rights movement. It was that music, more than anything else, that
turned rather apathetic students such as myself into activists. I
thought, 'Maybe that idealism is still out there, lying dormant,
waiting for the right spark to ignite it again.'
"I'm very pleased and grateful to have received this award from this
highly respected group of music-industry professionals. But it's also a
test of sorts. I have to remember why I'm doing this. I am not seeking
to be a star or sell CDs. I want to end the persecution of Falun Gong
practitioners and other innocent people in China. That is my goal, that
is the song's goal, and I think this award and the publicity
surrounding it will further that goal. I hope that now, even more
people will learn ‘Set Them Free' and sing it at Tuidang events, or
anywhere else where people need to hear the truth.
"Someone asked me who the song is addressing, who it's talking to.
Well, people can interpret that however they wish. To me it is a direct
appeal to the governments and people of the free world. At the same
time, it's a challenge, or more properly, a demand to the communist
regime in China, to ‘let these people go.' Finally, it is a heartfelt
plea to all the righteous forces in heaven: 'Set Them Free!' It is all
of these things at once.
"When I wrote the song last summer, I was up against a tight deadline.
There was no time to make an appointment at a studio, so I recorded it
at a friend's house. That original recording had a lot of spirit, but
it was kind of rough. Since then, we've worked on it some more, and got
some great help from professional studios both here in Missouri where I
live and also in Florida. So, this seems like a good time to
re-introduce our new recording of 'Set Them Free' to the world."
Randall and his daughter Sara have been working together to make music
for several years. They are now in the process of building a website,
www.justicewillprevail.com which will feature their songs and,
eventually, music by others as well. Go to that site for the new
recording of "Set Them Free."
Also posted:
http://www.zhengjian.org/music/articles/9/26339.html:
http://www.zhengjian.org/music/articles/9/26071.html
