#folk #protest #acoustic [2/2/26 edit: I recorded the song as "We Can't Give Up the Fight." In practicing for tonight's open mic, I found myself singing "We won't" instead of "we can't."]

We Won’t Give Up the Fight ©2026 - words and music by Sharon Stepler

When the cold winds blow clouds heavy with snow And winter seems frozen in place It's easy to think that we'll never see spring Or feel the sun on our faces But Time will turn again, snow will turn to rain And darkness surrender to light We have fires to tend and broken hearts to mend We cannot give up the fight

We won't give up the fight for justice for the helpless We won't give up the fight for peace and liberty They have masks and guns but we have the power We won't give up the fight for this land of the free

Some day it's hard to know where to start The headlines are too much to take There's a temptation to think that this nation Is cracked and ready to break But look at the faces, all ages and races Of people with whistles and phones Who are standing together in subzero weather They're showing us all how it's done

We won't give up the fight for justice for the helpless We won't give up the fight for peace and liberty They have masks and guns but we have the power We won't give up the fight for this land of the free

At first we were told institutions would hold "Don't worry - it can't happen here." But power's a drug for government thugs They've realized the worst of our fears Fascists and kleptocrats claim they are patriots They don't have a clue what that means Let's be peaceful and loud and explain to them proudly America does not have a king

We won't give up the fight for justice for the helpless We won't give up the fight for peace and liberty They have masks and guns but we have the power We won't give up the fight for this land of the free We won't give up the fight We won't give up the fight We won't give up the fight