PETER, PAUL AND MARY - If I Had My Way Lyrics

(Rev. Gary Davis)

You read about Sampson, you read about his birth
He was the strongest man that ever lived on Earth.
One day old Sampson was walking alone
He looked down on the ground and he saw an old jaw-bone.
He lifted up that jaw-bone and he swung it over his head,
and when he got to moving 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.

Sampson and the lion got in attack
Sampson he crawled up on the lion's back
You read about this lion - he killed a man with his paw
Sampson he got his hands around the lion's jaw
and he ripped that beast till the lion was 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.

Delilah was a woman, she was fine and fair
She had lovely looks, God knows, and cold black hair
Delilah she climbed up on Sampson's knee
and said "Tell me where your strength lies, if you please"
She talked so fine, she talked so fair,
Sampson said "Delilah, cut off my hair,
shave my head just as clean as your hand
and my strength will be like 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.