Don’t let their words of fear
manipulate you into joining in
a campaign of hatred

So easy to give in -
into the lie that bullies always spin:
that greed makes us stronger

But there’s another way
So come, stand up and say:

I'm not gonna bend my knee to hate
Not gonna feast on the poison our father's ate
Not gonna bow to the urge to discriminate
for I was made for better
And I though I was born to the drums of war
I’ll build a longer table instead of a wall
For you and I were made for so much more:
a freedom that is better

It’s so tempting to pretend,
to live our lives like there’s an "us" and "them":
a fear of the ‘other’

The threat of change or loss
can spin a fiction that this cause is just:
to hate sisters and brothers

But you don’t have to play their game
Be the link to break the chain

I'm not gonna bend my knee to hate
Not gonna feast on the poison our father's ate
Not gonna bow to the urge to discriminate
for I was made for better
And though I was born to the drums of war
I’ll build a longer table instead of a wall
For you and I were made for so much more:
a freedom that is better

We will lay aside the lies,
throw our doors open wide
Wars stop when soldiers lay their guns aside
Join a better fight
It’s time to rise

We’re not gonna bend our knees to hate
Not gonna feast on the poison our father’s ate
Not gonna bow to the urge to discriminate
for we were made for better
And though we were born to the drums of war
let’s build a longer table instead of a wall
for you and I were made for so much more:
a freedom that is better

And we are not gonna bend our knees to hate
(Rise up!)
Not gonna feast on the poison our father’s ate
(Rise up!)
Not gonna bow to the urge to discriminate
(Rise up!)
We will fight for better!
(Rise up!)

And we are not gonna beat that drum of war
(Rise up!)
We’ll build a longer table to seat us all
(Rise up!)
And we will live our lives for a higher call:
a freedom that is better

Rise up (Rise up)
my love (my love)
Rise up (Rise up)
choose love (choose love)

Rise up (Rise up)
my love (my love)
Rise up (Rise up)
choose love (choose love)