Bang a Drum

I went to see the preacher to teach me how to pray

He looked at me and smiled, then that preacher turned away

He said if you want to tell him somethin'

You ain't gotta fold your hands

Say it with your heart, your soul, and believe it

And I'd say amen

Bang a drum for the sinners

Bang a drum for the sins

Bang a drum for the losers and those who win

Bang a drum, bang it loudly, or as soft as you need

Bang a drum for yourself, son, and a drum for me

Ooh, let me hear you say yeah (Yeah), hallelujah, amen

I called upon my brother just the other day

He said, "John, I'm gonna die if I don't start to live again

I work each day and night like clockwork

Just tryin' to make ends meet

I could kick this bad world's ass, if I could just get on my feet"

I'd bang a drum for the dyin'

Bang a drum for the truth

Bang a drum for the innocence lost in our youth

Bang a drum, bang it loudly, or as soft as you need

Bang a drum for you brother, and a drum for me

I don't know where all the rivers run

I don't know how far, I don't know how come

Well, I'm gonna die believin' each step that I take

Ain't worth the ground that I walk

If we don't walk it our way

No, I don't claim to be a wise man, a poet, or a saint

I'm just another man who's searchin' for a better way

But my heart beats loud as thunder for the things that I believe

Sometimes I wanna run for cover, sometimes I wanna scream

Bang a drum for tomorrow

Bang a drum for the past

Bang a drum for the heroes that won't come back

Bang a drum for the promise

Bang a drum for the lies

Bang a drum for the lovers and the tears they've cried

Bang a drum, bang it loudly, or as soft as you need

But as long as my heart keeps on bangin'

I got a reason (I got a reason)

To believe (Yeah, yeah, oh yeah)

(Yeah, hallelujah, amen)

Lemme hear you say yeah (Yeah), yeah (Yeah) whoa, yeah

Lemme hear you say yeah (Yeah) hallelujah, amen

Come on now (Yeah), yeah (Yeah), whoa, yeah

Lemme hear you say yeah (Yeah), hallelujah, amen

All right girls (Yeah), brother (Yeah), yeah (Oh, yeah)

Lemme hear you say yeah (Yeah), hallelujah, amen, hm

You rode a 15 year old boy straight into his grave

And the rest of us, straight to hell