To Be Free to Laugh and Love (Song of Judith's Slave) - History

York's beloved happens to be Judith Handcock's personal slave who notices the happiness on Judith's face in anticipation of William Clark's arrival. Her slave sings this song when she is finally left alone in her thoughts about how she would love to be as happy as Judith.

How happy she looks, how excited she seems
I feel her sweet joys and share in her dreams.
How nice it would be to have joys of my own
To cherish as memories for the time I am grown.

Just look how she moves, as free as a bird.
She goes where she wants without saying a word.
A reason to dance is all that I need,
But before I can have it, I have to be free.

(Refrain)
O, to be free to laugh and love!
O, that my soul could fly like a dove!
O, that my heart could leap with delight
Into a world where freedom’s a right!

(Tag for repeat of refrain)
I’ll pray for my freedom tonight!

(Bridge)
Someday I will be on my own
To travel wherever winds blow.
Someday, soon, I’ll shout out with glee
That my country’s finally free.

(Repeat refrain with tag)