John Brown's Body

(Song starts right away, for once)
Traditional American (US)
Rise Up Singing chapter: Freedom, p.61
G - - - / C - G - / - - B7 Em / C D G -

There's a lot of background noise in this one, but it's also a much better taste of Bangkok than any of my other videos. So if you care about where I live, here you go. You're welcome. I hope you can still make out the lyrics.

John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave. Here's a version more extensive than that in Rise Up Singing, although I stay true to the Rise Up Singing lyrics in the video:

Old John Browns body lies moldering in the grave,
While weep the sons of bondage whom he ventured all to save;
But tho he lost his life while struggling for the slave,
His soul is marching on.

John Brown was a hero, undaunted, true and brave,
And Kansas knows his valor when he fought her rights to save;
Now, tho the grass grows green above his grave,
His soul is marching on.

He captured Harpers Ferry, with his nineteen men so few,
And frightened "Old Virginny" till she trembled thru and thru;
They hung him for a traitor, they themselves the traitor crew,
But his soul is marching on.

John Brown was John the Baptist of the Christ we are to see,
Christ who of the bondmen shall the Liberator be,
And soon thruout the Sunny South the slaves shall all be free,
For his soul is marching on.

The conflict that he heralded he looks from heaven to view,
On the army of the Union with its flag red, white and blue.
And heaven shall ring with anthems oer the deed they mean to do,
For his soul is marching on.

Ye soldiers of Freedom, then strike, while strike ye may,
The death blow of oppression in a better time and way,
For the dawn of old John Brown has brightened into day,
And his soul is marching on