Song Lyrics

Daniel, Daniel and the sacred harp
Dancing through the clover
Daniel, Daniel would you mind
If I look it over

I heard of this famous harp years ago
Back in my home town
But I sure never thought old Daniel'd be the one
To come and bring it around

Tell me Daniel how the harp came into your possession
Are you one of the chosen few
Who will march in the the procession

And Daniel said
The sacred harp was handed down, from father unto son
And me not being related, I could never be the one
So I saved up all my silver and took it to a man
Who said he could deliver the harp straight into my hand

Three years I waited patiently
'Til he returned with the harp from the sea of Galilee
He said there is one more thing I must ask
But not of personal greed
But I wouldn't listen, I just grabbed the harp
And said, "take what you may need"

Now Daniel looked quite satisfied
And the harp it seemed to go
But the price that Daniel had really paid
He did not even know
Back to his brother, he took his troubled mind
And he said, "dear brother, I'm in a bind"
But the brother would not hear his tale
He said Old Daniel's gonna land in jail
So to his father, Daniel did run
And he said, "oh father, what have I done?"
His father said, "son, you've given in
You know you won your harp
But you lost in sin"

Then Daniel took the harp and went high on the hill
And he blew across the meadow like a whippoorwill
He played out his heart just for time to pass
But as he looked to the ground
He noticed, no shadow did he cast

Daniel, Daniel and the sacred harp
Dancing through the clover
Daniel, Daniel would you mind
If I look it over

Robbie Robertson

The duration of Daniel and the Sacred Harp [Alternate Take] is 4:24 minutes and seconds.