Song Description

THE STORY OF A SCHOLARLY SALVATION ARMY MAN WHO CAME TO A DOWNTOWN LIBRARY AS A REFUGE FROM THE COLD. HE STAYED EACH DAY PURSUING KNOWLEDGE AND INSTRUCTING OTHERS HE KNEW.

Lyrics

SALVATION ARMY MAN
by Marilyn Hall, BMI
© 2015 Marilyn P. Hall, All rights reserved


THERE'S A WARM LIBRARY DOWN AN OLD CITY STREET
WHERE A SALVATION ARMY MAN MAKES HIS RETREAT
HE WORE A SUEDE HAT AND A CORDOROY COAT
HE WAS KNOWN FOR HIS DRINK AND THE WORDS THAT HE WROTE

A SALVATION ARMY MAN IN FROM THE COLD
A SCHOLARLY MAN AND A GENTLE OLD SOUL
HE'D LOOK AT THE PAPER, TAKE OFF HIS HAT
AND BEGIN GATHERING KNOWLEDGE FROM THIS AND FROM THAT

BRIDGE
HE WOULD GO SEARCHING DOWN AISLE AFTER AISLE
AND FINDING SOME TREASURE HE'D STOP FOR AWHILE
MAKING SOME NOTES AS HE MADE HIS WAY
PERHAPS AN IDEA FOR A NOVEL SOME DAY, ...SOME DAY

AND I THOUGHT IT ALL SAD AND THE WASTE OF A MAN
THAT FATE OR FORTUNE HAD DEALT SUCH A HAND
AND I FOUND HIM WITH HIGH AND THE LOWEST OF LOWS
SHARING HIS THOUGHTS FROM A LIFETIME OF WOE

HE COULD TAKE ANY STORY AND GIVE IT A SPIN
RECITE ALL THE PLACES THAT HE'D EVER BEEN
YOU COULD SEE THE LIGHT IN HIS EYES
DISCOVERING A MYSTERY FROM WHICH HE COULD GUIDE

HE KNEW CONSTELLATIONS AND STARS IN THEIR FLIGHT
AND OLD COWBOY STORIES TOLD BY MOONLIGHT
A FARAWAY WAR STILL PLAYED IN HIS MIND
BUT THE MAN I REMEMBER WAS GENTLE AND KIND

(INSTRUMENTAL)

THERE'S A WARM LIBRARY DOWN AN OLD CITY STREET
WHERE A SALVATION ARMY MAN MAKES HIS RETREAT
HE WORE A SUEDE HAT AND A CORDOROY COAT
I REMEMBER THE MAN AND THE WORDS THAT HE WROTE

THE WORDS, ....HE WROTE