SONG INFORMATION

Lyric Origin: Traditional (African American spiritual, South, parts of the lyrics first published in 1909)
First recording and first release as "If I Had My Way, I'd Tear the Building Down" by Blind Willie Johnson (1927/1928) who is credited with the music of this tune.
Most widely known adaption of "Samson & Delilah" released by Grateful Dead (1981)

LYRICS

If I had my way
If I had my way
If I had my way
I would tear this whole building down

Delilah was a woman, she was fine and fair
She had good looks – God knows – and coal black hair
Delilah she gained old Samson’s mind
When first he saw this woman, she looked so fine

Delilah she climbed up on Samson’s knee
Said tell me where your strength lies, if you please
Then she spoke so kind, she talked so fair
That Samson said, Delilah you cut off my hair
You can shave my head, cleanse my hand
My strength comes as natural as any other man

You read about Samson, all from his birth
He was the strongest man ever had lived on earth
One day while Samson was walking along
Looked down on the ground he saw an old jaw bone
Then he stretched out his arm and his chains broke like threads
And when he got to move, ten thousand were dead

Now Samson and the lion, they got in attack
And Samson he walked up on the lion’s back
You read about this lion, he killed a man with his paw
Samson got hands up round the lion’s jaw
He ripped that beast, killed it dead
And the bees made honey in the lion’s head

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