I went to see the preacher to teach me how to pray He looked at me and smiled then that preacher turned away He said "Son, if you want to tell him something You ain't gotta fold your hands Say it with your heart your soul and believe it, and I'll say Bang a drum for the sinners, bang a drum for the sins Bang a drum for the losers and those who win Bang a drum, bang it loudly or as soft as you need Bang a drum for yourself son and a drum for me Oh-oh- oh-oh-oh oh oh let me hear you say: Yeah, yeah Hallelujah amen I called upon my brother just the other day, He said: "Jon, I'm gonna die if I don't start to live again I work each day and night like clockwork just trying to make ends meet I could kick this bad world's ass if I could just get on my feet" I'd bang a drum for the dying, bang a drum for the truth Bang a drum for the innocence lost in our youth Bang a drum bang it loudly or as soft as you need Bang a drum for you brother and a drum for me I don't know where all the rivers run I don't know how far, I don't know how come But I'm gonna die believin' each step that I take Ain't worth the ground that I walk on If we don't walk it our own way No I don't claim to be a wise man a poet or a saint I'm just another man who's searching for a better way But my heart beats loud as thunder for the things that I Sometimes I wanna run for cover, sometimes I want to scream Bang a drum for tomorrow, bang a drum for the past Bang a drum for the heros that won't come back Bang a drum for the promise, bang a drum for the lies Bang a drum for the lovers and the tears they've cried Bang a drum, bang it loudly or as soft as you need But as long as my heart keeps on bangin' I got a reason to believe Yeah yeah oh yeah oh let me hear you say: Yeah, yeah Hallelujah amen Yeah yeah oh yeah oh let me hear you say: Yeah, yeah Hallelujah amen