The Promise

Johnny Clegg

2 fans

Johnny Clegg

Jonathan "Johnny" Clegg (born 7 June 1953) is a British-born musician from South Africa, who has recorded and performed with his bands Juluka and Savuka, and more recently as a solo act, occasionally reuniting with his earlier band partners. Sometimes called Le Zoulou Blanc ("The White Zulu"), he is an important figure in South African popular music history, with songs that mix Zulu with English lyrics, and African with various Western European music styles. more »


 Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!

Electric chair didn't burn a hair
and the newspaperman asked why
and while the warden explain in great detail
the newsman looked in the sky
"I'm sure!", he said, "if you look a little deeper
for something in his life
we could understand the reason why
he reached out for a knife."

Oooh! What happened to the promise?
Oooh! what happened to the one we knew?

So, onto a a train the newspaperman rode
down to the southern lands
to find out about a child long gone
turned into a lightning man.

Chorus:
Oooh! what happened to the promise?
Oooh! what happened to the one we knew?
Oooh! what happened to the promise?
Oooh! what happened to the heart so true.

"Some of them make it through", she said
"some of them never do, and one of them
got lost in time -- that child of mine
Oh, I loved that child of mine!"

Arriving in  a country town
with a notepad in his hand
he spoke to the mother and the father
and a friend and a teacher and a preacher man
They all recalled a regular boy chewing gim
and playing in the sand
nothing could explain  how he became
a lonely lightning man
And when the coffin came
on the southbound train
and the old folks shuffled by
the one they came to bury
was not very heavy, just a child lost in time

Chorus

What happens to the clear blue eye
when it enters the forest?
does anybody know where the little one goes?
what happens to the child in time?

-- some of them make it through
-- some of them never do
-- some of them are lost and saved
-- some of them find their way
oooh -- hold on to the promise
we're going to make it through my baby
we're going to make it through my little darling

 Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!

Written by: JONATHAN PAUL CLEGG

Lyrics © RHYTHM SAFARI PTY LTD, BMG Rights Management

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

Discuss the The Promise Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Promise Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 4 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/30587031/Johnny+Clegg/The+Promise>.

    Missing lyrics by Johnny Clegg?

    Know any other songs by Johnny Clegg? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    The Promise

    2,229
    12     1

    Browse Lyrics.com

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    Spotlights, sirens, rifles firin' But he made it out With a _____________.
    A black eye
    B bullet in his back
    C gang of convicts
    D shank in his side

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Johnny Clegg tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io


    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!