He came into this world

The help of a midwife a teenage girl

One Sunday morning

And when they layed him down at his mama's breast

She smiled when she felt

That small heart beating in his chest

And when they told his papa John

They said John you got a healthy son

Everyone on the mountain could hear John shoutin'

He was sayin' thank god good God almighty

I got me a boy and I'm never gonna let him down

And he said thank god good God almighty

I thank you for my country

I thank you for my newborn son

She dreamed of the thing the child could be

Here in this land of liberty came changes

Strong like a tree the young man grew

He studied for the work he hoped some day would find him

He may be a president

He may be that one who could lead us all through tomorrow

When times turn to sorrow

Bugles rang on both sides of the river

Those troubled times had tore apart our land

And when the guns of war cried out like distant thunder

Pride came by and took him by the hand

And it lead him to a place we know as shiloh

For years it saw rivers all run red

He might have been that one to lead us through tomorrow

Now we'll never hear a single word he said

Has anybody seen him here this morning

Has anybody seen him here today

Guess we lost him with 10000 sons of freedom

They're sleepin' on the blue side of the grey

Guess we lost him with 10000 sons of freedom

Left them sleepin' on the blue side of the grey

Glory glory hallelujah

Glory glory hallelujah

Glory glory hallelujah

His truth is marching on