Taking Back Our Land
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From 1979-1981, I was coordinator of The Citizens for the Preservation of Floyd County (Virginia), a 500 member group of farmers and local citizens trying to prevent Appalachian Power Company from building a 21 mile, 765,000 volt power line through the center of the county, invoking the right of “eminent domain” to confiscate the land on which to build the nearly fifty 125 foot towers.
Well the government says
You know it’s our land, and we'll do just what we wanna do
And if you don't give it up, we've got lawyers and judges
To make you act like we want you to
And if you get in the way, and fight for your rights
We've got police and the National Guard
We'll let you use your land as long as you please
Until we need it for the master plan
We're taking back our land
We're taking back our land
They can't steal it anymore
Like we let 'em before
And we're taking back our land
All over this country, they're stealing our land
For any project that needs a little earth
And there's power lines and highways
And power plants and strip mines, spread like cancer on the land
The corporation's in bed with old Uncle Sam
They say it’s for the good of us all
But you know it’s only for the power and money
That they invoke the right of eminent domain
We're taking back our land
Taking back our land
They can't steal it anymore
Like we let 'em before
And we're taking back our land
Well, things are changing all over this world
We're fighting to save our land
And it doesn't really matter about the lawyers and judges
Or police and the National Guard
Because you can't fight the truth with all the guns in the world
Or take away our rights by law
We're taking back our land
And do as we please
It’s been our right all along
We're taking back our land
Taking back our land
They can't steal it anymore
Like we let 'em before
And we're taking back our land
In Floyd County, Virginia we're standing our ground
Against the power company's fight
To build a giant power line across our land
And rape the farms that we’ve worked so long
And you can say we'll never win against the money and power
But we're winning just the same
Because the people have the power now as they should
And we're taking back out land
Taking back our land
Taking back our land
They can't steal it anymore
Like we let 'em before
And we're taking back our land
They can't steal it anymore
Like we let 'em before
And we're taking back our land
©Eric Pappas 1980