Composed by Jean Rohe with song fragment from Rahmani and Ibrahim Qashush This song was inspired by the words of a Syrian protester who was asked by a reporter why he and his fellow demonstrators were dancing in the street. "Nobody told me to dance," he said, "it just started." It also references a popular street protest song in Syrian cities, "Yalla Erhal Ya Bashar" (Come on, Bashar, Leave) which was attributed by some to a young man named Rahmani and is associated with Ibrahim Qashush, a cement layer who sang the song at protests. Ibrahim literally gave his voice for the revolution when he was found in a river with his throat slit and vocal cords removed. I dedicate this song to him and all the other brave Syrian demonstrators who face brutality with wit, creativity, and indefatigable spirit. They told me what to think, they told me what to do They told me who to scorn and who to bow down to They told me who was righteous and who could never win They told me my defiance was tantamount to sin And they told me what to say and what to keep inside They told me to be obedient; there was nothing I could hide They told me they were everything, everything I'd ever need And they told me what I'd find in store if I ever disagreed, but Nobody told me to dance (it just started) Open up the door into the streets (and the clouds parted) Feel the pulse of freedom move our hands and feet (open hearted) Nobody told me to dance, it just started. Rahmani wrote the music, Ibrahim sang the song 'Till they found him in the river with his vocal cords gone But the fire was lit already in the hearts of everyone And so we'll keep on singing 'till our victory comes: Yalla erhal ya Bashar, yalla erhal ya Bashar Yalla erhal ya Bashar, yalla Yalla erhal ya Bashar, yalla erhal ya Bashar Yalla erhal ya Bashar, yalla Nobody told me to sing (it just started) Open up the door into the streets (and the clouds parted) Feel the pulse of freedom move our hands and feet (open hearted) Nobody told me to sing, it just started. Now we tell them what we want from every window, every door Their lies and their barbarities aren't secrets anymore We write it and we stream it, show it in our videos We paint it and we play it until the whole world knows And they wonder how we do it, how we brave their guns and tanks With our ragtag band of singers dancing dabke in our ranks Well, if I meet a reporter from the Times or BBC I'll look him in the eye and I'll explain so he can see that Nobody told me to dance (it just started) Open up the door into the streets (and the clouds parted) Feel the pulse of freedom move our hands and feet (open hearted) Nobody told me to dance, it just started. Nobody told me to sing (it just started) Open up the door into the streets (and the clouds parted) Feel the pulse of freedom move our hands and feet (open hearted) Nobody told me to sing, it just started. credits from Jean Rohe & The End of the World Show, track released November 28, 2014 Skye Steele: violin Ilusha Tsinadze: banjo Liam Robinson: accordion Christopher Tordini: bass Chris Berry: drums James Shipp: percussion Produced by Jean Rohe and Liam Robinson Recorded by Aaron Nevezie at The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn, NY and by Ilusha Tsinadze in Brooklyn. Mixed by Todd Sickafoose at Earycanal. Mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music