Old Master had a leper for a child,
left him to fend for himself in the wild.
They laughed at him every time he went to town,
so he kept to himself and he seldom came around.
He Loved life and he loved his kin,
but he didn't understand why they didn't love him.
Slept out in a shed all alone,
and all he ever wanted was some friends of his own.
The field hands saved him,
took him in and raised him,
taught him about love and struggle and patience.
They gave him the family comfort he was craving;
he worked when they worked and he sang when they sang.
He sang so clear and so loud
that the masters and their children could hear him from the house
They recognized his voice and ran out,
everybody want to know what the ruckus all about.
(chorus) Preach on Mr. Preacher man.
Everybody want to hear what you have to say.
Stand tall, speak loud, boy, that's the way,
These songs are yours, bring us a brand new day.
He said “Good Lord I been waiting so long,
“for ya'll to come out and take me in the home.
“The world's so cold with no place to belong.”
They said, “come on in boy, sing us a song.”
He stepped inside,
and to his surprise,
it was so damn fly,
he cant believe his eyes.
He ate and he drank and he felt satisfied
till he sat by the window and he glanced outside...
...loved ones out working...
...his eyes got full and his heart start hurting,
cause them folk been singing for years and ain't never one of them set foot up in here.
Hold up.
How y'all get so much,
living off of folks like us that got it so rough?
The way you hold them in your cold clutch,
makes me think that you don't love your own souls enough.
(chorus) x2
Closed his eyes as he sang every note,
the ones he was taught and the ones that he wrote.
Stood up, cleared his throat, grabbed his coat;
in those last moments a few words was spoke:
“I used to peek at this old house and all,
“imagine what it must be like and all,
“and this the finest spread these eyes ever saw,
“but I don't mind saying I feel sorry for y'all.
“All that gettin', so little giving
“let a lot of y'all forget what's missing.
“Built you a big pretty prison to sit in,
“Strut around here convinced that that's living.
“But we going to keep on singing,
“keep on soldiering,
“keep on building,
“keep on teaching,
“keep on listening,
and keep keeping on till the whole thing's different.”
In his shed the sun started to set.
He said all his prayers and lay down his head.
Everything was said that he needed to say,
And one of these mornings we'll wake up to a brand new...
(chorus) x2