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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