I Want to See the Parade 歌詞

is a song about a blind girl who can't understand what a civil rights march is all about. I wrote that during the civil rights era. Hold me up I want to see the parade. There was a demonstration in our town quiet but very tense I've always been a bit nosy so I guess that's the reason I went There were poeple carrying signs that said we want equality now And I thought to myself boy look at that will you look what the law allows. A little girl and her mother were standing up next to the curb The little girl said, Mommy I can't see the parade and it happened that I heard The woman who was with the little girl was small and then she turned and smiled I thought I'd do 'em a favour so I offered to hold her child. When I held the little girl in my arms I was glad at the offer I'd made She said, thank you Mister for holdin' me up I wanted to see the parade Then she asked me a question and it took me by surprise She said, Mister why does my Daddy hate all those people goin' by. I said, well, you know they're not the same, ah, but listen to me And I had noticed that the child was blind So I looked around for an answer but it was pretty hard to find So I sat her down by her mama's side and I patted her on the head And that night as I sat in my own little room I thought of the words she said. And that night I took a good look at myself and this is the prayer I prayed I said Lord, I want you to hold me up 'cause I want to see the parade...