Lyrics When the Stone Begins to Turn - Jackson Browne

When the Stone Begins to Turn

I come here for Dr. King
Who gave the people a precious thing
He found a light in the darkest hour
And the strength for speaking truth to power
And in the years since they shot him down
You see changes that once were a dream
Begin to come around
When the walls have begun to crumble
When the laws have begun to burn
When the winds is singing freedom
When the stone begins to turn
And I come here to praise Mandela
And to send this message to his jailer
Your walls may hold the man inside
But they’ll never ever hold back the tide
'Cause in the years you’ve shut him away
A generation has grown where he stood
They’re gonna see the day
When the walls have begun to crumble
When the laws have begun to burn
When the wind is singing freedom
When the stone begins to turn
We come here to sing for freedom
And to send our voices to the ones who need them
Freedom for South Africa
And justice for Nelson Mandela
'Cause in the years they’ve shut him away
A generation has grown where he stood
We’re gonna see the day
When the walls have begun to crumble
When the laws have begun to burn
When the wind is singing freedom
When the stone begins to turn