_"When I heard the women wailing I looked down the street and saw a crowd gathering.  Somebody called that a boy had been hit.  John and I grabbed a blanket and ran to the scene.  It was little David Anthony Lee, a boy in our pre-school program -- so little.  He had lost a great deal of blood and was lying in it -- half on the pavement and half in the dirt.  There was a large hole in his head with three or four pieces of skull embedded in it.  His cap was in the middle of the street.  A large elderly woman (his grandmother) dropped by his side wailing -- almost as a threat -- "So young."  A few women collapsed and had to be helped away.  And then everythin was quiet, except for occasional sobs.  It had been a hit and run murder.

Now there is another little boy who comes to the Center, Timmy Chapel.  And Timmy is the one who gave me the incentive to write JUST A HAND TO HOLD.  I tried to write a song about David Anthony but I couldn't.  But the feeling I have about David is in the song.  You see, it is Timmy who always wanted to walk with me and hold my hand and be pushed on the merry-go-round.  His is the face that is like a jewel -- and He is the one who has about as much chance to make it in this world as did David Anthony Lee.  In some weird way I thought that by writing this song it might help give him a chance David Anthony did not have."
- Mark Spoelstra

He was, he was a friend of mine
He was, he was a friend of mine
Now he's dead and gone
This morning my be friend
Lay still in his bed
His face like a jewel
And he was dead.

He was, he was only six years old
He was, he was only six years old
So I'd been told
He liked to play games
Push me on the swings
Push me on the merry-go-round
Go round and round.

Swing me, oh, swing me - swing me all up and down
Spin me, oh spin me - spin me around and around
Till my feet touch the ground
He never was afraid
Cause he was brave and bold
And the only thing he ever asked for
Was a hand to hold.

It makes no difference where he's from or where he's bound
And it makes less difference if he's lost of been found.
He's dead and gone.
But there is no power
Anywhere in this land
Like the voice that used to say
Will you hold my hand.

There is a voice that rings loud throughout this land
There is a boice that speaks for the black and the tan,
And for all of man
It's young and it's old
It's brave and it's bold
And it can't be bought or sold
-- Just a hand to hold.
 
_Come round by my side and I'll sing you a song,
I'll sing it so softly i'll do no one wrong.
On Birmingham Sunday the blood ran like wine,
And the choirs kept singing of Freedom.

That cold autumn morning no eyes saw the sun,
And Addie Mae Collins, her number was one.
At an old Baptist church there was no need to run,
And the choirs kept singing of Freedom.

The clouds they were gray and the autumn winds blew,
And Denise McNair brought the number to two.
The falcon of death was a creature they knew,
And the choirs kept singing of Freedom.

The church it was crowded but no one could see,
That Cynthia Weslet's dark number was three.
Her prayers and her feelings would shame you and me,
And the choirs kept singing of Freedom.

Young Carol Robertson entered the door,
And the number her killers had given was four.
She asked for a bleessing by asked for no more,
And the choirs kept singing of Freedom.

On Birmingham Sunday a noise shook the ground,
And people all over the earth turned around.
For no one recalls a more cowardly sound,
And the choirs kept singing of Freedom.

The men in the forest they once asked of me,
How many black berries grew in the Blue sea?
And I asked them right back with a tear in my eye,
How many dark ships in the forest?

The Sunday has come and the Sunday has gone,
And I can't do much more than to sing you a song.
I'll sing it so softly, it'll do no one wrong,
And the choirs keep singing of Freedom.
 
_I got a Form from my Draft Board sayin' this is what to do.
Fill out this Form if you want to be a conscientious objector too.

Chorus:
Because I know there's got to be peace - Peace on Earth some day.
But Peace don't come from war, you see - We've got to find another way.

Well I waited for five long months thinkin' it's the alternative for me
But they gave me military duty and they gave it in the 1st degree.

Now I do love, I love this land, and Freedom is God-sent
But when it comes to killing men, I won't do it for any government.
(chorus)

I'm going to tell my draft board that they don't have the right
To make a man go to war -  go to kill and fight.

Now the army teaches a man to go to war and kill
If I have to go to jail, God knows that I will.
(chorus)

Now they jail a man for murder because it is a crime
But if you don't kill for the Army, you serve the same prison time.

Some people are building them fallout shelters, but I don't know what for.
Where are they going to get something to eat after a nuclear war?
(chorus)

Now the moral of this here song is plain as day to see.
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust, to be or not to be.
(chorus)
 
_I've got news of the very best kind,
about troubles that are falling behind
about people that used to be blind
Till they opened up their eyes to see.
It's News - when they begin to ask why
They're poor Until the day they die.
They're Tired - of the pie in the sky
And they want some security.

Chorus:
And that's news, news, ain't that news?
Ain't that something to see?
That's news, news, you  talk about your news
That's mighty good news to me.

I've got news about some ordinary men
They heard it preached time and again
To be patient and grateful, A-men,
And "Don't agitate around here!"
They argued & they talked it around
And they woke up & here's what they found:
Their voices made a mighty big sound
Till they didn't know the meaning of fear. (chorus)

In Hazard they're meeting at night,
Organizing, and doing it right,
And planning for a hell of a fight
And they sure don't aim to lose.
In New York the tenant's said, "No,
The slumlord ain't getting our dough,"
They're fed up & I want you to know
That's the very best kind of news. (chorus)
 
This is one for group participation.
 
_Hup, two, three four marchin' down the street,
Rollin' of the drums & the trampin' of the feet,
The general salutes while the mothers wave & weep
Here comes the big parade, don't be afraid
The price is paid, one more parade.

Refrain:
So young, so strong, so ready for the war
So willing to die upon a foreign shore
All march together, everybody looks the same
So there is no one you can blame, don't be ashamed
Light the flame, one more parade.

Listen for the sound and listen for the noise
Listen for the thunder of the marching boys
A few years ago their guns were only toys
Here comes the big parade, don't be afraid
The price is paid, one more parade. Refrain:

Medals on their coats and guns in their hands
All trained to kill as they're trained to stand
Ten thousand ears need only one command
Here comes the big parade, don't be afraid
The price is paid, one more parade. Refrain:

Cold hard stares on faces so proud
Kisses from the girls and cheers from the crowd
And the widows from the last war cry through their shroud
Here comes the big parade, don't be afraid
Price is paid, don't be ashamed, war's a game
The world in flames - so start the parade.
 
_(Tune: She'll be coming round the Mountain / Ye canny shove yuir Granny aff a bus)

Chorus:
O ye canny spend a dollar when ye're deid,
O ye canny spend a dollar when ye're deid:
Singing Ding... Dong... Dollar; Everybody holler
Ye canny spend a dollar when ye're deid

O the Yanks have just drapt anchor in Dunoon
An they've had their civic welcome fae the toon;
As they cam up the measured mile
Bonnie Mary o Argyle
Was wearin spangled drawers ablow her goun.

And the publicans will a' be daein swell,
For it's juist the thing that's sure tae ring the bell,
O the dollars they will jingle,
They'll be no a lassie single,
Even though they maybe blaw us a' tae hell

But the Glesca Moderator disnae mind;
In fact, he thinks the Yanks are awfy kind,
For if it's Heaven that ye're goin'
It's a quicker way than rowin',
And there's sure tae be naebody left behind.

Final Chorus:
O ye canny spend a dollar when ye're deid
Sae tell Kennedy he's got tae keel the heid,
Singin Ding... Dong Dollar; Everybdy holler
Ye canny spend a dollar when ye're deid.