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A song written by Dick Blakeslee in the late 1940s, the lyrics suggested the political liberalism and optimism that followed Allied victory in World War II and preceded the McCarthy era and Cold War freeze. My mother's mother campaigned passionately for Adlai Stevenson and songs like these rang through her childhood home.
lyrics
I saw Jesus on the cross on a hill called Calvary
“Do you hate mankind for what they done to you?”
He said, “Talk of love not hate, things to do – it’s getting late.
I’ve so little time and I’m only passing through.”
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 Adam leave the Garden with an apple in his hand,
I said “Now you’re out, what are you going to do?”
“Plant some crops and pray for rain, maybe raise a little cane.
I’m an orphan now, and I’m only passing through.”
Passing through, passing through.
Sometimes happy, sometimes blue,
glad that I ran into you.
Tell the people that you saw me passing through.
I was with Washington at Valley Forge, shivering in the snow.
I said, “How come men suffer like they do?”
“Men will suffer, men will fight, even die for what is right
even though they know they’re only passing through”
Passing through, passing through.
Sometimes happy, sometimes blue,
glad that I ran into you.
Tell the people that you saw me passing through.
I was with Franklin Roosevelt’s side on the night before he died.
He said, “One world must come out of World War Two” (ah, the fool)
“Yankee, Russian, white or tan,” he said, “A man is still a man.
We’re all on one road, and we’re only passing through.”
Passing through, passing through.
Sometimes happy, sometimes blue,
glad that I ran into you.
Tell the people that you saw me passing through.
credits
from songs my mother sang,
released May 15, 2013
vocals: Jennifer Leonhardt, Juliet Tondowski
guitar: Dave Bow
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