Praying Man

Guess I was on the road

Didn't know which way to go

I think I hear a praying man coming

A praying man coming

Sometimes I couldn't read the signs

My people done left me behind

I think I hear a praying man coming

I think I hear a praying man coming

Stumble along the path, he emerged from the grass

Stopped at me and asked why so sad

Perhaps because they had taken what I had

I'm sure it wasn't much to them but it was all that I could grab

I was on my way to church, I was running late at first

But after all this riff raff here, I missed service and it hurts

But what's worse I'm not sure how long I've been swaying in the breeze

Tired of talking to the trees and you the first praying man that I've seen

I lending hand, but I see if you got some time

I'm glad you looked up because most people pay no mind

He smiled and said "Son well, I can do you one better"

He removed a pocket knife and cut me down from my oppressor, forever

Guess I was on the road

Didn't know which way to go

I think I hear a praying man coming

A praying man coming

Sometimes I couldn't read the signs

My people done left me behind

I think I hear a praying man coming

I think I hear a praying man coming

Boating along the sea, he emerged from the mist

Asked me how I got far from the beach

Cause they stripped me of my pride and put these shackles on my feet

I was stacked on top of my folk and it was really hard to breathe

It was a little hard to believe that I had been caught up in this mess

And some of my own people would sell me to my death

It was a lot of us on the ride and it was a lot of us that was lost

But some of us couldn't take it so some of us jumped off

And I'm really glad you found me on your course

I been out here for a while and there's no sign of the shore

He smiled and said "Son well I can do you one better"

He lended me his hand and picked me up from my oppressor, forever

Guess I was on the road

Didn't know which way to go

I think I hear a praying man coming

A praying man coming

Sometimes I couldn't read the signs

My people done left me behind

I think I hear a praying man coming

I think I hear a praying man coming

Driving along the road

He asked me what I was running from and where I was trying to go

"Well I was working in the field and one of my kinfolk just got killed

And I knew they'd come for me and Lord knows I wanna live

See I heard there's people free, not that far but far from me

To be running from these dogs with no shoes up on my feet

I heard of this railroad that ventures underground

And takes my kind of people to a place that we can't be found

And I been wounded for some miles, so I decided to rest my head

I guess they let me go cause they assumed that I was dead

Smiled and said “Son hop in this wagon and get settled”

He offered me a ride and drove me far away from my oppressor, forever

Guess I was on the road

Didn't know which way to go

I think I hear a praying man coming

A praying man coming

Sometimes I couldn't read the signs

My people done left me behind

I think I hear a praying man coming

I think I hear a praying man coming