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A Church Is Burning Lyrics by Paul Simon

The Paul Simon Songbook

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[Chorus]
A church is burning
The flames rise higher
Like hands that are praying, aglow in the sky
Like hands that are praying, the fire is saying
"You can burn down my churches, but I shall be free"
[Verse 1]
Three hooded men through the back roads did creep
Torches in their hands while the village lies asleep
Down to the church where just hours before
Voices were singing and hands were beating
And saying, "I won't be a slave any more"
[Chorus]
And a church is burning
The flames rise higher
Like hands that are praying, aglow in the sky
Like hands that are praying, the fire is saying
"You can burn down my churches, but I shall be free"
[Verse 2]
Three hooded men, their hands lit the spark
Then they faded in the night, and they vanished in the dark
And in the cold light of morning there is nothing that remains
But the ashes of a Bible and a can of kerosene
[Chorus]
And a church is burning
The flames rise higher
Like hands that are praying, aglow in the sky
Like hands that are praying, the fire is saying
"You can burn down my churches, but I shall be free"
[Verse 3]
A church is more than just timber and stone
And freedom is a dark road when you're walking it alone
But the future is now, and it's time to take a stand
So the lost bells of freedom can ring out in my land
[Chorus]
And a church is burning
The flames rise higher
Like hands that are praying, aglow in the sky
Like hands that are praying, the fire is saying
"You can burn down my churches, but I shall be free"
Credits
Paul Simon

Paul Simon

About “A Church Is Burning” by Paul Simon

Read the complete lyrics to "A Church Is Burning" by Paul Simon from the album "The Paul Simon Songbook ". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop, Folk Pop, Folk.

"A Church Is Burning" is performed by Paul Simon. from the album "The Paul Simon Songbook " This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "A Church Is Burning", explore more songs by Paul Simon using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"A Church Is Burning" is credited to Paul Simon. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"A Church Is Burning" appears on "The Paul Simon Songbook ".

Visit the Paul Simon artist page at /artist/paul-simon for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.