John Will

John Will grew up on the green shores of Ireland Over 260 years ago But before he could be a man Out of his country he soon ran They didn't like the way he believed in God Sold into indentured servitude John set his sites On the last place that he'd ever call home Waves of the ocean he would ride Be his family's sweet pride After ten years in an American coal mine Oh John Will Someday we'll tell your story Oh John Will What you did made us who we are With a shovel in his hand John pulled black coal from the land He was a slave for ten long years But when freedom broke his chains John's blood rushed through his veins He could finally be the man that he wanted to be So he took himself a wife Bought him a patch of new world life And he had himself a family But shots echoed the ground at Lexington Militiamen went door to door So he signed his name to the Continental army And with cold steel John went to war Oh John Will Someday we'll tell your story Oh John Will What you did made us who we are John fought hard in the battles for our independence Spilled his blood on the soil of his new home But overwhelmed by an all out attack John found the devil at his back Surrendered to the red coats in seventy seven In Philadelphia he was held behind wall of brick and iron His young wife would come to see him everyday But John starved to death in that military prison His family waiting close by They were trying to break the spirit of the rebels And they expected all of them to die Oh John Will Someday we'll tell your story Oh John Will What you did made us who we are John is buried in a common grave Behind independence hall The life that he lived with steep and it was bitter But I'll never forget the man that he was