Song Lyric Sunday (14 June 2020) – Jack or John

Last week, Jim (NewEpicAuthor, A Unique Title For Me) set a theme of size (my selection). This week, he gives us the theme of the names Jack or John.

I bet several of us will choose this one today, but it seems appropriate at the moment.

I’ve presented Marvin Gaye a few times before on Song Lyric Sunday and I can’t really do any better, so here is another song of his. It was written by Dick Hollis, in response to the assassinations of Martin Luter King Jr and Bobby Kennedy, in close succession in the spring/summer of 1968. The song itself is about the icons for social change, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, and John F Kennedy, and was first recorded by folk singer Dion, with whom it reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Marvin recorded a version in 1970, which reached #9 in the UK. It was not released as a single in the USA but later appeared on the album What’s Going On, in 1971. This is Abraham, Martin and John.

Has anyone here seen my old friend Abraham?
Can you tell me whe he’s gone?
Oh, he freed a lot of people
but it seems the good die young, yeah.
I just looked around and he was gone.

Hmmm

Has anyone here seen my old friend John?
Can you tell me whe he’s gone?
You know, he freed a lot of people
but it seems the good die young, yeah.
I just looked around and he was gone.

Oh yeah

Has anyone here seen my old friend Martin?
Can you tell me whe he’s gone?
He freed a lot of people
but it seems the good die young, yeah.
I just looked around and he was gone.

[Insrumental]

Has anyone here seen my friend Bobby?
Can you tell me whe he’s gone?
You know, he freed a lot of people
but the good, they die young, yeah.
I just looked around and he was gone.

Oh, I just looked around and they were gone, oh yes.

Dick Hollis