We Didn’t Come This Far to Give Up

Chorus:
We didn’t come this far to give up now
We didn’t come this far to give up now
Friends let’s hold the line.
We didn’t come this far to give up!

[Verses: same pattern, down beat bolded]

We’ve got no king and we never will (2x) | Friends

We’re keeping public land in public hands (2x) | Friends 

Everybody’s equal under the law (2x) | Friends …..

Medicare Medicaid Social Security (2x) | Friends …..

It’s our bodies, so we decide (2x) | Friends …..

It’s on the shoulders of giants we stand today (2x) | …

We won’t give the rich what belongs to all

Fascist enablers, call them out (2x) | Friends …..

Keep the National Guard off the city streets (2x) | Friends …..

Fight the good fight, finish the race (2x) | Friends …..

[And one more verse, in the wake of the joyful, powerful 18 Oct 2025 No Kings rally, which was the largest peaceful protest in US History:]

We’re 7 million strong with immaculate vibes!

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Words and music by Bret Hesla. 
© 2025 Bret Hesla. All rights reserved. Use with permission, please. 
Licensed via OneLicense.net. Contact: Bret.hesla@gmail.com. 

I wrote this in the summer of 2025, right about the time of the nationwide No-Kings rallies in June.

Then, in October, seven million people turned out. Joy, defiance and power! It was the largest peaceful protest in US history. All standing up against authoritarianism, white christian nationalism, and the general humanitarian travesty spewing out from the Oval Office and its enablers in Congress.

From the moment I walked up to join the crowd here in Minneapolis, I was overwhelmed with beauty and encouragement. The sunshine, the signs, the voices, the kids, the old folks, all of us. Completely nonviolent, deeply determined, wildly creative! One organizer called the vibes “immaculate.” I’m sure it was the same for you, too!

Performance: The demo recording just uses a few of the many possible verses. Feel free to create new verses for the moment. I like to do each one twice, so that listeners can more easily jump in full voice. Guitar works well, but use what you have. A capella has a lot of power, too.