Can you see a king Suspend all disbelief Walking through the bad part of town, can you turn the other cheek Can you forget that you were chattel Bones in our closet always rattle Caught in a steel trap Memory serves it's never gonna pass Old John Brown Can we keep from goin' down Old John Brown Can we keep from goin' down A zealous one born too soon Could he see his city on a hill ruins Caught in a steel trap Memory serves it's never gonna pass Old John Brown Can we keep from goin' down Old John Brown Can we keep from goin' down Can you pray Can you take that walk From Harper's Ferry to Little Rock Caught in a steel trap Memory serves it's never gonna pass Old John Brown Can we keep from goin' down Old John Brown Can we keep from goin' down