From valley and mountain, from hilltop and glen,
What shouts thro' the air are rebounding!
And echo is sending the sounds back again,
And loud thro' the air they are sounding,
And loud through the air they are sounding:
And if you ask what those joyous strains?
'Tis the songs of bondmen now bursting their chains.
And who through our nation is waging the fight?
What host from the battle is flying?
Our true hearted freemen maintain the right,
And the monster oppression is dying,
And the monster oppression is dying:
And if you ask what you there behold?
'Tis the army of freemen, the true and the bold.
Too long have slave-holders triumphantly reigned,
Too long in their chains have they bound us;
To freedom awaking, no longer enchained,
The goddess of freedom has saved us,
The goddess of freedom has saved us:
And if you ask what has made us free?
'Tis the vote that gave us our liberty.