1895
Let me make the songs for the people,
Songs for the old and young;
Songs to stir like a battle-cry
Wherever they are sung.
Not for the clashing of sabres,
For carnage nor for strife;
But songs to thrill the hearts of men
With more abundant life.
Let me make the songs for the weary,
Amid life’s fever and fret,
Till hearts shall relax their tension,
And careworn brows forget.
Let me sing for little children,
Before their footsteps stray,
Sweet anthems of love and duty,
To float o’er life’s highway.
I would sing for the poor and aged,
When shadows dim their sight;
Of the bright and restful mansions,
Where there shall be no night.
Our world, so worn and weary,
Needs music, pure and strong,
To hush the jangle and discords
Of sorrow, pain, and wrong.
Music to soothe all its sorrow,
Till war and crime shall cease;
And the hearts of men grown tender
Girdle the world with peace.
Songs for the old and young;
Songs to stir like a battle-cry
Wherever they are sung.
Not for the clashing of sabres,
For carnage nor for strife;
But songs to thrill the hearts of men
With more abundant life.
Let me make the songs for the weary,
Amid life’s fever and fret,
Till hearts shall relax their tension,
And careworn brows forget.
Let me sing for little children,
Before their footsteps stray,
Sweet anthems of love and duty,
To float o’er life’s highway.
I would sing for the poor and aged,
When shadows dim their sight;
Of the bright and restful mansions,
Where there shall be no night.
Our world, so worn and weary,
Needs music, pure and strong,
To hush the jangle and discords
Of sorrow, pain, and wrong.
Music to soothe all its sorrow,
Till war and crime shall cease;
And the hearts of men grown tender
Girdle the world with peace.
Contributed by Dq82 - 2025/7/27 - 12:00
Language: English
Versione di Sonia De Los Santos
(2018)
¡Alegría!
Frances Ellen Watkins, an African American poet, wrote this poem back in the 1800’s, and today, it still feels so important to raise our voices together to help us get through difficult times. My friends Dan Zanes and Claudia Eliaza are the perfect couple to lead this song, and they join me in this celebration of music-making to heal the souls of the old and young.
(2018)
¡Alegría!
Frances Ellen Watkins, an African American poet, wrote this poem back in the 1800’s, and today, it still feels so important to raise our voices together to help us get through difficult times. My friends Dan Zanes and Claudia Eliaza are the perfect couple to lead this song, and they join me in this celebration of music-making to heal the souls of the old and young.
SONGS FOR THE PEOPLE
Let me make the songs for the people
Songs for the old and young
Songs to stir like a battle-cry
Wherever they are sung
Let me make the songs for the weary
Amid life’s fever and fret
Till hearts shall relax their tension
And careworn brows forget
Let me sing for little children
Before their footsteps stray
Sweet anthems of love and duty
To float o’er life’s highway
Our world, so worn and weary
Needs music, pure and strong
To hush the jangle and discords
Of sorrow, pain, and wrong
Music to soothe all its sorrow
Till war and crime shall cease
And the hearts of men grow tender
Girdle the world with peace
Let me sing for little children
Before their footsteps stray
Sweet anthems of love and duty
To float o’er life’s highway
Let us sing for little children
Before their footsteps stray
Sweet anthems of love and duty
To float o’er life’s highway
Let me make the songs for the people
Songs for the old and young
Songs to stir like a battle-cry
Wherever they are sung
Let me make the songs for the weary
Amid life’s fever and fret
Till hearts shall relax their tension
And careworn brows forget
Let me sing for little children
Before their footsteps stray
Sweet anthems of love and duty
To float o’er life’s highway
Our world, so worn and weary
Needs music, pure and strong
To hush the jangle and discords
Of sorrow, pain, and wrong
Music to soothe all its sorrow
Till war and crime shall cease
And the hearts of men grow tender
Girdle the world with peace
Let me sing for little children
Before their footsteps stray
Sweet anthems of love and duty
To float o’er life’s highway
Let us sing for little children
Before their footsteps stray
Sweet anthems of love and duty
To float o’er life’s highway
Contributed by Dq82 - 2025/7/27 - 12:03
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