I Want to See the Parade

(Tom T. Hall)



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...