Knock on the Door (Phil Ochs)

This song contains false moral equivocation between the crimes of Nazi Germany and the action of the Soviet Union. Prolewiki does not endorse these views, and the author of this work changed his views after writing this work.

Knock on the Door
Author	Phil Ochs
First published	1964
Type	Song

Lyrics

In many a time, in many a land

With many a gun in many a hand

They came by the night, they came by the day

Came with their guns to take us away

With a knock on the door, knock on the door

Here they come to take one more, one more

Back in the days of the Roman Empire

They died by the cross and they died by the fire

In the stone coliseum, the crowd gave a roar

And it all began with that knock on the door

Just a knock on the door, knock on the door.

Here they come to take one more, one more

The years have all passed, we’ve reached modern times

The Nazis have come with their Nazi war crimes

Yes, the power was there, the power was found

Six million people have heard that same sound

That old knock on the door, knock on the door

Here they come to take one more, one more

Now there’s many new words and many new names

The banners have changed but the knock is the same

On the Soviet shores with right on their side

I wonder who knows how many have died

With their knock on the door, knock on the door

Here they come to take one more, one more

Look over the oceans, look over the lands

Look over the leaders with the blood on their hands

And open your eyes and see what they do

When they knock over their friend, they’re knocking for you

With their knock on the door, knock on the door

Here they come to take one more

With their knock on the door, knock on the door

Here they come to take one more, one more