The Free Software Song is a filk song by Richard M. Stallman about free software. The song is set to the melody of the Bulgarian "Sadi Moma". Jono Bacon also recorded a metal version of the song.

Text

Join us now and share the software;

You'll be free, hackers, you'll be free.

Join us now and share the software;

You'll be free, hackers, you'll be free.

Hoarders may get piles of money,

That is true, hackers, that is true.

But they cannot help their neighbors;

That's not good, hackers, that's not good.

When we have enough free software

At our call, hackers, at our call,

We'll throw out those dirty licenses

Ever more, hackers, ever more.

Join us now and share the software;

You'll be free, hackers, you'll be free.

Join us now and share the software;

You'll be free, hackers, you'll be free.

The song as sung by Stallman replaces the line "Hoarders may get piles of money" with "Hoarders can get piles of money" and "We'll throw out those dirty licenses" with "We'll kick out those dirty licenses".

This song is used by both his supporters and his critics to support their positions. Jamie Zawinski has used this song as an explanation for why he thinks co-operation with Stallman is impossible.

A version of this song is also performed by a band in the documentary Revolution OS.

External links

• An audio recording of the Free Software Song sung by Richard Stallman, in Ogg Vorbis format
• Same recording as above, but in Sun's .au format
• http://www.gnu.org/music/free-software-song.html
• Writing the Song
• Jono Bacon's heavy metal version
• A playlist of songs about free software available on the web and playable from the web, thanks to webjay.org
• Remake by the band Fenster