The Time of Man - Lyrics

From the album The Slightly Fabulous Limeliters 1961  (Edmonson)


An uncharacteristically grim topic for The Limeliters, sung with melodious irony; redolent of an era of which, thank god, the young 'uns of today have little knowledge-- remember hiding under your desk for "bomb drill?"

Chorus

Once there were trees and a river,
Once there was grass where you stand;
Once there were songs about rights instead of wrongs,
Once was the time of man.

1.
We heard the drumming like thunder
We saw the cloud rise at dawn.
Then came the rain, while we watched and prayed in vain;
Then all was still, all was gone

Chorus

2.
Grass doesn't grow on the hillside
The trees shrink and die in the sun
There's no place to hide my little babyÕs eyes
From the damage that the dead have done.

Chorus

3.
They didn't know in the old time
The earth and the seas were to share;
They didn't know in the old times
Or care.

Chorus

Thanks to Peter Mussallem for transcribing these lyrics for our website!