Wasn’t That a Time

Pete SeegerPete Seeger 

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Pete Seeger

Peter "Pete" Seeger (born May 3, 1919) is an iconic American folk singer. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead Belly's "Goodnight, Irene", which topped the charts for 13 weeks in 1950. Members of The Weavers were blacklisted during the McCarthy Era. In the 1960s, he re-emerged on the public scene as a prominent singer of protest music in support of international disarmament, civil rights, and environmental causes. more »

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Our fathers bled at Valley Forge
The snow was red with blood
Their faith was warm at Valley Forge
Their faith was brotherhood

Wasn't that a time, wasn't that a time
A time to try the soul of man
Wasn't that a terrible time?

Brave men who died at Gettysburg
Now lie in soldier's graves
But there they stemmed the slavery tide
And there the faith was saved
Wasn't that a time, wasn't that a time
A time to try the soul of man
Wasn't that a terrible time?

The fascists came with chains and war
To prison us in hate
And many a good man fought and died
To save the stricken faith

Wasn't that a time, wasn't that a time
A time to try the soul of man
Wasn't that a terrible time?

And now again the madmen come
And should our vic'try fail?
There is no vic'try in a land
Where free men go to jail

Isn't this a time! Isn't this a time!
A time to try the soul of man
Isn't this a terrible time?

Our faith cries out we have no fear
We dare to reach our hand
To other neighbors far and near
To friends in every land isn't this a time!
Isn't this a time!
A time to free the soul of man!
Isn't this a wonderful time!

(Two additional verses written by
Lee Hays and
Sung at the 1980 Weavers reunion:)
How many times we've gone to kill
In freedom's holy name
And children died to save the pride
Of rulers without shame

Informers took their Judas pay
To tell their sorry tale
And gangs in Congress had their way
And free souls went to jail

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer