Love Me, I’m a Liberal

I cried when they shot Medgar Evers

Tears ran down my spine

I cried when they shot Mr. Kennedy

As though I’d lost a father of mine

But Malcolm X got what was coming

He got what he asked for this time

So love me, love me, love me, I’m a liberal

I go to civil rights rallies

And I put down the old D.A.R.

I love Harry and Sidney and Sammy

I hope every colored boy becomes a star

But don’t talk about revolution

That’s going a little bit too far

So love me, love me, love me, I’m a liberal

I cheered when Humphrey was chosen

My faith in the system restored

I’m glad the commies were thrown out

of the A.F.L. C.I.O. board

I love Puerto Ricans and Negros

as long as they don’t move next door

So love me, love me, love me, I’m a liberal

The people of old Mississippi

Should all hang their heads in shame

I can’t understand how their minds work

What’s the matter don’t they watch Les Crane?

But if you ask me to bus my children

I hope the cops take down your name

So love me, love me, love me, I’m a liberal

I read New republic and Nation

I’ve learned to take every view

You know, I’ve memorized Lerner and Golden

I feel like I’m almost a Jew

But when it comes to times like Korea

There’s no one more red, white and blue

So love me, love me, love me, I’m a liberal

I vote for the democratic party

They want the U.N. to be strong

I go to all the Pete Seeger concerts

He sure gets me singing those songs

I’ll send all the money you ask for

But don’t ask me to come on along

So love me, love me, love me, I’m a liberal

Once I was young and impulsive

I wore every conceivable pin

Even went to the socialist meetings

Learned all the old union hymns

But I’ve grown older and wiser

And that’s why I’m turning you in

So love me, love me, love me, I’m a liberal

© 1966 Phil Ochs