Sandy Rapp - Ballad of Billy Baird Lyrics

Eight times in jail was Billy Baird, that young and gentle pioneer
Took to the streets when he saw a woman die from an underground abortion.
What keeps ya goin' Billy Baird? What keeps the flowers in your hair?
You been so long singin' the good song. You keep the sixties rollin' on.

He bought a van with all he had, and set about to spread the word,
When just a mention of prevention was illegal to be heard.
Three times to Court was Billy Baird, the highest Court in all the land.
When it was seen as criminally obscene to speak of a parenthood that's planned.

If the right to privacy means anything at all,
It is to choose whether or not to bear a child,
So spoke the Court in seventy-two when Billy Baird's first case
Made birth control legal for singles in the USA.

Chorus:
What keeps ya goin' Billy Baird? What keeps the flowers in your hair?
You been so long singin' the good song. You keep the sixties rollin' on.

There was a bomb in seventy-nine. No doubt Bill was meant to die.
Billy escaped but the morning break found they burned his clinic to the ground.
They see the devil in his face, and shoot the windows from his place.
They're for creation not information and they've killed nine providers now to date.

And the Court decided twice again for Billy Baird,
Cited Baird v. Eisenstadt six times in Roe v. Wade.
Then Bill faced jail again this time for rights of gays,
For years he was denied the vote for felonies such as these.

Some leaders thought he'd cut a deal, too radical to be for real.
Maybe he's here to play, maybe he's CIA, maybe he wouldn't last for long.
Forty years and nine had been and gone, with Billy doin' fine and goin' strong.
Still without a dime, fightin' the good fight, keepin' the sixties in his song.

Chorus:
What keeps ya goin' Billy Baird? What keeps the flowers in your hair?
You been so long singin' the good song. You keep the sixties rollin' on and on and
You been so long singin' the good song. You keep the sixties rollin' on.