These Are My People – English Lyrics

• By: Johnny Cash

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

These are my people

This is the land where my forefathers lie

These are my people

In brotherhood we're heirs of a creed to live by

A creed that proclaims that by loved ones blood stains

This is my land and these are my people

These are my people

They were born on and lived by the land

These are my people and their cities were raised by hard working hands

And their faces to tell that they're holding on well

To this their land yes these are my people

These are my people

These are the ones who will reach for the stars

These are my people that a light of the earth you can tell they are ours

A new step to take and a new day will break

For this my land yes these are my people

These are my people hmmm

...

Key Grammar Structures

• These are my people

  ➔ Simple present (subject‑verb‑complement)

  ➔ The verb "are" links the subject "These" to the complement "my people".

• This is the land where my forefathers lie

  ➔ Relative clause with "where"

  ➔ "where" introduces the clause "my forefathers lie" that describes "the land".

• In brotherhood we're heirs of a creed to live by

  ➔ Contraction (we're) + infinitive phrase (to live by)

  ➔ "we're" = "we are"; the infinitive "to live by" shows purpose.

• A creed that proclaims that by loved ones blood stains

  ➔ Noun clause with "that" (double "that")

  ➔ The first "that" introduces the relative clause "that proclaims..."; the second "that" introduces the content clause "by loved ones blood stains".

• They were born on and lived by the land

  ➔ Passive voice (were born) + simple past (lived)

  ➔ "were born" is passive, showing the action happened to "they"; "lived" is a regular past‑tense verb.

• Their cities were raised by hard working hands

  ➔ Passive voice (were raised) with agent "by"

  ➔ "were raised" is passive; "by hard working hands" tells who performed the action.

• These are the ones who will reach for the stars

  ➔ Future simple with modal "will" + relative clause "who will reach"

  ➔ "will reach" expresses a future action; "who" introduces the relative clause describing "the ones".

• A new step to take and a new day will break

  ➔ Infinitive phrase "to take" + future simple "will break"

  ➔ "to take" shows purpose; "will break" predicts that the day is going to start.