Dave Van Ronk — Samson and Delilah

Read about Samson, read about his birth Well, now, Samson was the strongest man who walked on Earth Well, now, one day Samson was-a-walkin' along He looked on the ground and saw an old jawbone Well, he raised that bone, God knows, over his head And when he was through ten-thousand was dead If I had my way If I had my way in this wicked world If I had my way I would tear this building down Well, now, Samson and Delilah got attacked Samson climbed up upon that lion's back Well, you read about this lion, killed a man with his paws But Samson got his hand around that lion's jaws Well, he rode that beast until he killed him dead And the bees made honey in the lion's head If I had my way If I had my way in this wicked world If I had my way I would tear this building down Well, Delilah was a woman, she was fine and fair She had lovely looks, God knows, and coal black hair Well, Delilah come into Samson's mind The first he saw this woman of the Philistines Well, Delilah climbed up on Samson's knee Said tell me where your strength lies if you please Well she talked so fine, God knows, she talked so fair Well, now, Samson said "Delilah, you can shave my hair You can shave my hair, just as clean as your hand And my strength will be that of a natural man" If I had my way If I had my way in this wicked world If I had my way I would tear this building down If I had my way If I had my way in this wicked world If I had my way I would tear this building down