Passing Through: Lyrics

Words: Dick Blakeslee; Music: Traditional

• LP Passing Through
• CD The Folkways Years

I saw Adam leave the Garden
   with an apple in his hand,
"Now you're out, what are you gonna do?"
"Plant my crops and pray for rain,
   think I'll raise a little cane.
I'm an orphan now, and I'm only passing through."

   Chorus:
   Passing through, passing through.
   Sometimes happy, sometimes blue,
   Glad that I ran into you.
   Tell the people that you saw me passing through.

I saw Jesus on that cross
   on a hill called Calvary
"Do you hate mankind for what they did to you?"
He said, "Speak of love not hate,
   there's things to do, it's growing late.
I've so little time and I'm just passing through."

   Chorus:

I shivered with George Washington
   at Valley Forge that day.
"Why do your soldiers freeze here like they do?"
He said "Men will suffer, fight,
   even die for what is right
even though they know they're only passing through"

   Chorus:

I was at Franklin Roosevelt's side
   just a while before he died,
He said, "One world must come out of World War Two.
Yankee, Russian, white or tan,
   Lord, a man is just a man.
We're all brothers, and we're only passing through."

   Chorus:

Well I rode with old Abe Lincoln
   on that train to Gettysburg,
I asked him "What are we gonna do?"
He said "Every man must be
   unconditionally free
Or there is no reason to be passing through."

   Chorus:

Of note:

A quiet song, full of Cisco's trademark optimism tinged with just a touch of sadness. Though we're only Passing Through, there is still much we can do. Even if it costs us, as it did Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Jesus. Guy Logsdon recognized this, and had it be the concluding track on the CD as it was on the LP.

See Richard Silverstein's essay on the song Here.

We welcome any suggestions, contributions, or questions. You send it, we'll consider using it. Help us spread the word. And the music. And thanks for visiting.