“Before the Law Says So”
Tempo: 92 BPM
Key: C Major
[Verse 1]
(C) Three thousand names in ink and thread
(Am) A quiet storm in corporate halls
(F) We chose to leave the lines unread
(G) And walk away from these walls
(C) We will not build the tools of war
(Am) No matter what the contracts pay
(F) They watched the future at the door
(G) And turned their faces today
[Chorus]
(C) Before the law says (Am) so
Before the (F) rules are carved in (G) stone
(C) Somebody stands, somebody (Am) speaks
And will not (F) leave the truth a(G)lone
(Am) Integrity, (F) justice, steady (C) hands
(G) Wisdom to see what’s (Am) done
Righteousness (F) does not wait for (G) law
It starts with (C) someone
[Verse 2]
(C) In lines of code they found the flaw
(Am) A biased lens through which to see
(F) A different truth than what they saw
(G) Joy and Timnit held the key
(C) A higher failure for the dark
(Am) They broke the glass and showed the seam
(F) And from a small and quiet spark
(G) They woke a giant from its dream
[Chorus]
(C) Before the law says (Am) so
Before the (F) rules are carved in (G) stone
(C) Somebody stands, somebody (Am) speaks
And will not (F) leave the truth a(G)lone
(Am) Integrity, (F) justice, steady (C) hands
(G) Wisdom to see what’s (Am) done
Righteousness (F) does not wait for (G) law
It starts with (C) someone
[Bridge] (Spoken-word over sparse percussive rhythm)
(C — Am — F — G)
Integrity that will not yield or bend
Justice demanding an immediate stand
Stewardship over the future we send
And wisdom to act with an open hand
The pillars are here but they must be built
The moral agency lives in the heart
Without an action there’s nothing but guilt
Righteousness does not wait for law to start
[Final Chorus] (Full band with strings)
(C) Before the law says (Am) so
Before the (F) rules are carved in (G) stone
(C) Somebody stands, somebody (Am) speaks
And will not (F) leave the truth a(G)lone
(Am) Integrity, (F) justice, steady (C) hands
(G) Wisdom to see what’s (Am) done
Righteousness (F) does not wait for (G) law
It starts with (C) someone
[Outro]
(C) It begins with (Am) someone
(F) Willing to act
(G) On what is true
And what is (C) right