[Intro] One hand holds paper One hand holds pain One line waits quiet One street takes rain [Verse] The ballot and the baton meet at the square One says choose, one says don’t stand there One counts names in a civic hall One counts heads by the barricade wall They teach us the anthem, teach us the rules Then act surprised when we use the tools If voices are legal, why the helmets shine Every time poor people form a line [Pre-Chorus] Count my voice Count my street Count my hand Count my feet [Chorus] The ballot and the baton, tell me which one wins When the future knocks and the old door spins The ballot and the baton, hear the crowd reply We were born with a voice, not a reason to comply The ballot and the baton, let the brass cut through Democracy means nothing if it never hears you The ballot and the baton, under stage light rain We write our names and we break our chains [Verse] They love quiet citizens in a patient queue Love a peaceful phrase when it changes nothing new But when the rent strike sings and the workers stand Suddenly freedom needs a heavier hand I got ink on my thumb and a song in my chest Got a dream that refuses to be dispossessed If the booth is a promise and the street is a plea Then the whole damn crowd is democracy [Pre-Chorus] Count my voice Count my street Count my hand Count my feet [Chorus] The ballot and the baton, tell me which one wins When the future knocks and the old door spins The ballot and the baton, hear the crowd reply We were born with a voice, not a reason to comply The ballot and the baton, let the brass cut through Democracy means nothing if it never hears you The ballot and the baton, under stage light rain We write our names and we break our chains [Interlude] Vote with breath March with care Build the bridge Hold the square Vote with breath March with care No one free Till we all get there [Breakdown] Paper People Promise Power Streetlight Midnight Final Hour [Build-up] Let the drumline walk where the silence stood Let the horn line rise for the common good Let the crowd keep time with a steady hand This is more than a vote, this is where we stand [Chorus] The ballot and the baton, tell me which one wins When the future knocks and the old door spins The ballot and the baton, hear the crowd reply We were born with a voice, not a reason to comply The ballot and the baton, let the brass cut through Democracy means nothing if it never hears you The ballot and the baton, under stage light rain We write our names and we break our chains [Outro] One hand holds paper One hand holds pain But the crowd holds thunder And the thunder says change