Lyr Req/Add: Passing Through (Dick Blakeslee)

Subject: Lyr Req: Passing Through
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 01:20 PM

Looking for the words to the old song PASSING THROUGH. entered the title in search and nothing came up, anybody remember the words? It's been slmost 40 years since I've sung it. There's a peace rally Saturday, and I need to leadsome singalongs....

Tahnks,
Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Passing Through
From: Sorcha
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 01:29 PM

Try this, PASSING THROUGH. If the link doesn't work, use the alpha index at the top right of the page. They spelled it Thru.

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(Digital Tradition Lyrics)
PASSING THROUGH
(Dick Blakeslee)

Passing thru, passing thru
Sometimes happy sometimes blue
Glad that I ran into you
Tell the people that you saw me passing thru

I saw Adam leave the garden
with an apple in his hand
I said now you're out
What are you gonna do
Plant some crops and pray for rain
maybe raise a little cain
I'm an orphan and I'm only passing thru

I saw Jesus on the cross
On that hill called Calvary
Do you hate mankind for what they've done to you
He said speak of love, not hate
Things to do, it's getting late
I've so little time and I'm just passing thru

I shivered with George Washington
One night at Valley Forge
I asked why do men freeze here like they do
He said men will suffer, fight,
Even die, for what is right
Even tho they know they're only passing thru

I rode with old Abe Lincoln
On that train to Gettysburg
And I asked him what he thought to be most true
He said every man must be
Unconditionally free
We're all brothers and we're only passing thru

I was at Franklin Roosevelt's side
Just a while before he died
He said one world must come out of World War II
Yankee, Russian, Black or tan
Still a man is just a man
We're all strangers and we're only passing thru

I was with those freedom riders
on that bus to Birmingham
They said all men are equal, that is true
And the answer when it came
Brought those freedom riders fame
Freedom's colors are red, white, black, and blue

filename[ PASSTHRU
SOF

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Passing Through
From: Wolfgang
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 01:30 PM

Passing through
(posted in the Forum)

Wolfgang

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Thread #7421   Message #46552
Posted By: BSeed
23-Nov-98 - 03:32 AM
Thread Name: Christmas gift for Susan & Dick.
Subject: Lyr Add: PASSING THROUGH^^^

I was a bit surprised not to find this song in the database, despite entering it by [name] and several [key phrase] checks:

PASSING THROUGH

I saw Adam leave the garden with a suitcase in his hand,
I said "Now you're out, what are you gonna do?"
"Plant some crops and pray for rain,
Maybe raise a little Cain,
I'm an orphan and I'm only passing through."

Chorus:
Passing through, passing through,
Sometimes happy, sometimes blue,
Glad that I ran into you,
Tell the people that you saw me passing through.

I asked Jesus on the cross on the hill called Calvary,
"Do you hate mankind for what they did to you?"
He said, "Speak of love, not hate,
Got to go, it's getting late,
I've so little time and I'm just passing through.

I spoke with General Washington in the snow at Valley Forge,
I asked him, "Why will men go through what they go through?"
He said, "Men will suffer, fight,
Even die for what is right,
Even though they know they're only passing through."

Franklin Roosevelt told me on the day before he died,
"One world must come out of World War Two,
Red and yellow, black and white,
We're all equal in God's sight,
We're all his children and we're only passing through.^^^

I can't find the book from which I got these words, and I don't remember who wrote it. I learned the melody from a fellow striking teacher back in '75--he had put strike-specific words to it.

It's getting very late: maybe someone else knows the song and can post the midi. If not, I'll post the chords for the verse and chorus tomorrow or the next day. The melody of the verse is very like "Jesse James"; the chorus ends the same but starts out a bit different.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Passing Through
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 02:05 PM

Thanks! I knew I could count on you guys.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Passing Through
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 06:33 PM

I know it's in RUS as well (someone once allowed me to look through their copy), and that there was some background info. Would someone be kind enough to post that here, please? (If it's not too long.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Passing Through
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 06:52 PM

Lyrics also in this message.
-Joe Offer-

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Thread #7421   Message #46552
Posted By: BSeed
23-Nov-98 - 03:32 AM
Thread Name: Christmas gift for Susan & Dick.
Subject: Lyr Add: PASSING THROUGH^^^

I was a bit surprised not to find this song in the database, despite entering it by [name] and several [key phrase] checks:

PASSING THROUGH

I saw Adam leave the garden with a suitcase in his hand,
I said "Now you're out, what are you gonna do?"
"Plant some crops and pray for rain,
Maybe raise a little Cain,
I'm an orphan and I'm only passing through."

Chorus:
Passing through, passing through,
Sometimes happy, sometimes blue,
Glad that I ran into you,
Tell the people that you saw me passing through.

I asked Jesus on the cross on the hill called Calvary,
"Do you hate mankind for what they did to you?"
He said, "Speak of love, not hate,
Got to go, it's getting late,
I've so little time and I'm just passing through.

I spoke with General Washington in the snow at Valley Forge,
I asked him, "Why will men go through what they go through?"
He said, "Men will suffer, fight,
Even die for what is right,
Even though they know they're only passing through."

Franklin Roosevelt told me on the day before he died,
"One world must come out of World War Two,
Red and yellow, black and white,
We're all equal in God's sight,
We're all his children and we're only passing through.^^^

I can't find the book from which I got these words, and I don't remember who wrote it. I learned the melody from a fellow striking teacher back in '75--he had put strike-specific words to it.

It's getting very late: maybe someone else knows the song and can post the midi. If not, I'll post the chords for the verse and chorus tomorrow or the next day. The melody of the verse is very like "Jesse James"; the chorus ends the same but starts out a bit different.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Passing Through
From: Art Thieme
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 07:17 PM

I stood at Martin Luther King's side,
Just an hour before he died,

He said, "One world must come out of the things we do.
Yankee, Russian, white or tan,
A man is just a man,
We're all brothers and we're only passin' through."

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Passing Through
From: Art Thieme
Date: 25 Oct 02 - 05:06 PM

Did anyone mention that Dick Blakeslee wrote this song? That's what I remember.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Passing Through
From: Jeep man
Date: 25 Oct 02 - 05:45 PM

This is really good. Can anyone supply the melody? Jeep

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Passing Through
From: Jeep man
Date: 25 Oct 02 - 11:49 PM

Maybe someone can direct me to a midi or sound file so I can here the melody to this. Jeep

Subject: DT Corr: Passing Through
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Mar 05 - 10:07 PM

This song was mentioned in Joe Hickerson's "Songfinder" column in the current Sing Out! Magazine, Vol. 49 #1. The song is unattributed in the Digital Tradition, but the lyrics are a pretty good transcription (with a couple of verses added). Here's the original version, from the book accompanying the Bear Family Songs for Political Action CD set.

PASSING THROUGH
(Dick Blakeslee, 1948)

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 my crops and pray for rain
Maybe raise a little Cain
I'm an orphan now and only passing through."

Passing through, passing through
Sometimes happy, sometimes blue
Glad that I run into you
Tell the people that you saw me passing through.

I saw Jesus on the cross
On that 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 just passing through.'

I shivered next to Washington
One night at Valley Forge
"Why do the soldiers freeze here like they do?"
He said, "Men will suffer, fight
Even die for what is right,
Even though they know they're only passing through."

Was at Franklin Roosevelt's side
just a while before he died
He said, "One world must come out of World War II.
Yankee, Russian, white or tan
Lord, a man is just a man
We're all brothers and we're only passing through."

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Click to play

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Passing Through
From: GUEST,Al Reynolds, Charlottesville VA 11/29/08
Date: 29 Nov 08 - 09:34 PM

We,a group called United Notions, played Passing Through; but, since it was written before the days of Martin Luther King, I made up a verse honoring King, based on his "I Have a Dream" speech. Here are the words.

I heard Martin Luther King
When he said "Let freedom ring,"
And he told us of his dream for me and you.
"Not the color of your skin
But the character within,"
He said, "That's what matters while we're passing through."

Our group are members of the United Nations Association of the USA, and I modified the words of the verse on Franklin Roosevelt to focus more on the United Nations. The original song was written at the onset of the cold war so the Roosevelt verse focused on our country's relations with Russia. Here is my modified verse:

President Franklin Roosevelt
Told us just the way he felt
He said, "One world must come out of World War Two.
If nations all unite,
Work for peace and what is right,
We can work together while we're passing through."

Those of you who used to sing "Good Old Mountain Dew" will note my use of some of the Roosevelt verse from that song!

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords: 'Passin' Thru' (Cash, Scruggs)
From: PHJim
Date: 27 Jun 09 - 11:57 AM

I've heard this by Valdy and by Pete Seeger, but a Google seartch gave me this Leonard Cohen version:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/107710/cohen-leonard-passing-through-chords

It seems to me that both Valdy and Pete put another chord in over the word "late" in the line "it's gettin' late", but I don't have an instrument with me so I can't be sure.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords: 'Passin' Thru' (Cash, Scruggs)
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 27 Jun 09 - 12:27 PM

PHJim, it's a different "Passing Through"... I wasn't aware of the Cash, Scruggs one, either.

~ Becky in Tucson

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Messages moved in an attempt to prevent further confusion.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords: 'Passin' Thru' (Cash, Scruggs)
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 27 Jun 09 - 06:20 PM

PHJim, the chord you're missing for the last word of the third line of the verse (and chorus) is D7.


There's another verse:

I stood with General Washington on the hill at Valley Forge
And asked him "Why do men go through what they go through?"
He said "Men will suffer, fight, even die for what is right,
Even though they know they're only passing through."

And the verses are usually sung in alphabetical order: Adam, Jesus, Washington, Roosevelt.

Charles

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords: 'Passin' Thru' (Cash, Scruggs)
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 27 Jun 09 - 06:36 PM

PHJim, the chord you're missing for the last word of the third line of the verse (and chorus) is D7.


There's another verse:

I stood with General Washington on the hill at Valley Forge
And asked him "Why do men go through what they go through?"
He said "Men will suffer, fight, even die for what is right,
Even though they know they're only passing through."

And the verses are usually sung in alphabetical order: Adam, Jesus, Washington, Roosevelt.

Charles

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Passing Through (Dick Blakeslee)
From: PHJim
Date: 28 Jun 09 - 02:12 PM

Thanks Charles. You're right, D7 works fine there. So does Fm or F#dim. Take your choice.