Salvation Man

(album: Finer Than Gold - 1981)

With eyes that seemed to pierce my heart
And a look that went right through me
This man whose smile could lift the dark
Was a-marching with the army
His back was bent with the years he'd spent
Helping out the others
Drunk or blind, without a cent
To him, we all were brothers

He did not have a weapon
Just a Bible in his hand
And an old brass horn he carried
As he marched on with the band

I watched him search the winter night
To find the starving children
He'd wrap them in his coat real tight
And take them home to feed them
He never seemed to be afraid
No, the darkness could not stop him
All the alleys held the friends he made
The midnight drifters knew him

He did not have a weapon
Just a Bible in his hand
And an old brass horn he carried
As he marched on with the band

Salvation man
A-marching to the beat of a different drum
Salvation man
A-making royalty out of ghetto bums
Fighting for his King in the city slums
Salvation man

A crowd gathered 'round the band
By the tavern on the corner
I wondered whether I could stand
Like him to face the scorners
He preached the love of Jesus
To the people as they mocked him
This soldier they all called a fool
Just turned his cheek to love them

He did not have a weapon
Just a Bible in his hand
And an old brass horn he carried
As he marched on with the band

One day he was promoted
To glory in the sky
I saw his place was empty
As the band went marching by
And I looked around to see
If anyone would volunteer
Then I gathered up my courage
And I put away my fear

Now I do not have a weapon
Just his Bible in my hand
And the old brass horn he carried
As I march on with the band

Salvation man
A-marching to the beat of a different drum
Salvation man
A-making royalty out of ghetto bums
Fighting for my King in the city slums
Salvation man