Well, she seemed all right by dawn's early light
Though she looked a little worried and weak
She tried to pretend he wasn't drinkin' again
But daddy'd left the proof on her cheek

And I was only eight years old that summer
And I always seemed to be in the way
So I took myself down to the fair in town
On Independence Day

Well, word gets around in a small, small town
They said he was a dangerous man
Mama was proud and she stood her ground
But she knew she was on the losin' end

Some folks whispered and some just talked
But everybody looked the other way
And when time ran out there was no one about
On Independence Day

Let freedom ring
Let the white dove sing
Let the whole world know
That today is a day of reckonin'

Let the weak be strong
Let the right be wrong
Roll the stone away, let the guilty pay
It's Independence Day
Well, she lit up the sky that Fourth of July
By the time that the firemen come
They just put out the flames, took down
Some names and sent me to the county home

Oh and I ain't sayin' it's right or it's wrong
But maybe it's the only way
Talk about your revolution
It's Independence Day

Let freedom ring
Let the white dove sing
Let the whole world know
That today is a day of reckonin'

Let the weak be strong
Let the right be wrong
Roll the stone away, let the guilty pay
It's Independence Day