Song Lyric Sunday – Martyr of the Free Word – Epica

When I found that this song contains one of this week’s prompt words, namely ‘violence,’ I knew this had to be the one. It was featured on the album ‘Design Your Universe’ by Epica, my favourite album by this band.

I find it remarkable that this song was released in 2009, but it fits just as well to today’s society as it did a little over ten years ago. Over the past five years, we have lost our freedom of speech. Every word you utter can be marked as racist or sexist, which can ultimately lead you to be called a nazi and be cancelled, having your entire online identity destroyed.

As a blogger, I am extremely conscious of these developments, not wanting to get cancelled myself, naturally. The consequence is that I censure myself, choosing carefully which topics to discuss, not wanting to hurt anyone’s feelings. In my fiction, too, I play safe and only use secure settings, again, not to step on anyone’s toes.

It amazes me that as time continues, we have less freedom of speech instead of more. Our society has worked hard, both men and women, to be able to speak our minds. The first people who said the earth was round and not the centre of the universe were condemned for it. And now, hundreds of years later, we are returning to precisely that level of condemnation for whichever standpoint you hold. So listen to this song, and let’s not become a martyr for the free word.

Martyr of the Free Word – Epica

Speaking in degradation
A conversation can take a sudden turn
And reaching the point of violence
Because your silence left you without a hand to hold

Your past will lead you on to make

Making a final judgment
Based on your bias will never bring you forward
Terror should never guide you
For even the fearful can take a beating in the end

Suspicion gets you nowhere

Those who denounce a way of life
Will stand alone
Left to atone their social blunders
If you gun down the messenger
You guarantee that he will be made
Into a saint
The martyr of the free word

I will say what I think
I will do what I say
When liberty seems out of reach
We’ll fight for our freedom of speech

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,
Et lux perpetua luceat eis

Missing a simple context
A mental weakness can throw you out of balance
Listen, respect each other

It’s not too late for mercy

I will say what I think
I will do what I say
When liberty seems out of reach
We’ll fight for our freedom of speech

Written by: AMANDA SOMERVILLE, ARIEN VAN WEESENBEEK, COEN J. JANSSEN, ISAAC DELAHAYE, MARK JAN JANSEN, MARKUS H J MARK JANSEN, SASCHA PAETH
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

Lyrics from https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/19005974/Epica/Martyr+of+the+Free+Word

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Song Lyrics Sunday is a prompt by Jim Adams, other entries can be found here: https://jimadamsauthordotcom.wordpress.com/2021/06/19/mercilessly-barbaric/