The Land (song)

"The Land" is a protest song, traditionally sung by the Georgist movement in the United Kingdom in pursuit and promotion of land value taxation. Until the late 1970s it was sung at the end of each year's Liberal Assembly and remains until this day the party anthem of the Liberal Party, as well as the traditional first song of the Liberal Democrats' Glee Club. During the chorus, the phrase 'ballot in our hand' is accompanied by the collective waving of any paper to hand (usually a liberator song book) by the audience.

Lyrics

"Note - to the tune of Marching Through Georgia."

Sound the call for freedom boys, and sound it far and wide,
March along to victory, for God is on our side,
While the voice of nature thunders o'er the rising tide:
"God gave the land to the people."

Chorus

The land, the land,
'Twas God who made the land,
The land, the land,
The ground on which we stand,
Why should we be beggars
With a ballot in our hand?
God gave the land to the people.

Hark! The sound is spreading from the east and from the west!
Why should we work hard and let the landlords take the best?
Make them pay their taxes on the land just like the rest!
The land was meant for the people.

Chorus

Clear the way for liberty, the land must all be free,
None of us shall falter from the fight tho' stern shall be.
'Til the flag we love so well shall fly from sea to sea,
O'er the land that is free for the people.

Chorus

The army now is marching on, the battle to begin,
The standard now is raised on high to face the battle din,
We'll never cease from fighting 'til the victory we win,
And the land is free for the people.

Chorus

ee also

*Liberator (magazine)
*Henry George
*The Internationale
*Bread and Roses