LIFT UP YOUR HEAD TOM DOOLEY
Dr. Tom Dooley is an American hero that is not really recognized. Here's a tribute to this great man.
Stan loves music, is published (EMI/Capitol), and has experience performing on radio and TV when it was live in the good old days. These days he's just writing
Songwriter of pop, country, inspirational songs. I like to write. I travel a lot to Asia...so my music may have an Asian influence.
Story behind the song
To most people the name Tom Dooley makes them think of the guy who was hung (made infamous by The Kingston Trio). Stan asked me to post this tribute to a GREAT man, the founder of CARE, the man who helped many, many refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, doctoring them, and putting them first before himself. He dies too young from cancer!
I plagiarized the first line of the chorus of the tune from the Kingston Trio classic. Have a listen to how I weaved it into a tune of my own.
Lyrics
Lift Up Your Head Tom Dooley
Copyright Stan Loh. May 2, 2004
Verse 1
Never met that man,
Felt he was a friend
He was saving natives far from home,
He worked round the bend,
Makin’ lots of friends,
But his life was not his own,
Build
They came with their aches,
From dusk till daybreak,
He cared for each one,
His work was never done,
One day he felt a pain,
Oh Lord please don’t rain,
I need more time to carry on.
Chorus
Oh lift up your head Tom Dooley,
Lift up your head up high,
There are many poor people you have touched,
Can’t count the thousands who love you so much.
Verse 2
Even with one hand,
The natives he would mend,
Savin’ thousands but not his own,
One day past thirty-four,
He knocked on heaven’s door,
Now his mama cry nights alone.
Build
They came with respect,
From dusk till daybreak,
With tears in their eyes,
To say goodbye,
This man they loved so much,
Why God, why is it such,
The good always die young.
Chorus
Oh lift up your head Tom Dooley,
Lift up your head up high,
There are many poor people you have touched,
Can’t count the thousands who love you so much.
