Well she seemed all right by dawns early light

Though she looked a little worried and weak

She tried to pretend he wasn't drinkin' again

But daddy left the proof on her cheek

And I was only eight years old that summer

And I always seemed to be in the way

So I took myself down to the fair in town

On independence day.

Well word gets around in a small, small town

They said he was a dangerous man

But mama was proud and she stood her ground

She knew she was on the losin' end

Some folks whispered and some folks talked

But everybody looked the other way

And when time ran out there was no one about

On independence day.

Let freedom ring, let the white dove sing

Let the whole world know that today is a day of reckoning

Let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong

Roll the stone away, let the guilty pay it's independence day.

Well she lit up the sky that fourth of july

By the time that the firemen come

They just put out the flames, and took down some names

And sent me to the county home

Now I ain't sayin' it's right or it's wrong

But maybe it's the only way

Talk about your revolution

It's independence day.

Let freedom ring, let the white dove sing

Let the whole world know that today is a day of reckoning

Let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong

Roll the stone away, let the guilty pay it's independence day

Roll the stone away

It's independence day.