▁members ▁Felix ▁Cav ali ere ▁and ▁Edd ie ▁Brig ati ▁and ▁featuring ▁a ▁lead ▁vocal ▁from ▁Cav ali ere , ▁it ▁is ▁a ▁mus ically ▁up be at ▁but ▁imp ass ioned ▁ple a ▁for ▁toler ance ▁and ▁freedom : ▁ ▁All ▁the ▁world ▁over , ▁so ▁easy ▁to ▁see ! ▁People ▁everywhere , ▁just ▁w anna ▁be ▁free . ▁List en , ▁please ▁listen ! ▁that ' s ▁the ▁way ▁it ▁should ▁be ▁Peace ▁in ▁the ▁valley , ▁people ▁got ▁to ▁be ▁free . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁song ' s ▁c oda , ▁Felix ▁says ▁in ▁a ▁half - s ung , ▁half - sp oken ▁voice , ▁that ▁the ▁" Tra in ▁of ▁Fre edom ", ▁is ▁" about ▁to ▁arrive ▁any ▁minute ▁now ", ▁that ▁" it ▁has ▁been ▁long , ▁long ▁over due ", ▁and ▁that ▁it ' s ▁" coming ▁right ▁on ▁through ", ▁before ▁the ▁song ' s ▁fade ▁with ▁Felix ▁saying ▁" Ch ug " ▁repeatedly . ▁ ▁It ▁became ▁a ▁big ▁hit ▁in ▁the ▁tur bul ent ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁sp ending ▁five ▁weeks ▁at op ▁the ▁Billboard ▁Pop ▁Singles ▁chart , ▁the ▁group ' s ▁longest ▁such ▁stay . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁group ' s ▁second - most ▁successful ▁single ▁on ▁the ▁Billboard ▁Black ▁Singles ▁chart , ▁reaching ▁number ▁ 1 4 ▁and ▁trailing ▁only ▁the ▁previous ▁year ' s ▁" G ro ov in ' ". ▁ ▁" Pe ople ▁Got ▁to ▁Be ▁Free " ▁was