The good time comin' is almost here.
It was long, long, long on the way.
Now run and tell Elijah to hurry up, Pom,
and meet us at the gum tree
down in the swamp
to wake Nicodemus today.
Nicodemus the slave was of African birth
and was bought for a bag full of gold.
He was reckoned as part
of the salt of the earth,
but he died years ago, very old.
It was his last sad request
so we laid him away in the
trunk of an old holla tree.
Wake me up was his charge
at the first break of day.
Wake me up for the great jubilee.
Fellas don't you see the light,
the day of liberty's coming, coming,
almost gone, the gloomy night,
the day of liberty's coming.
Hi -ho, we gladly sing,
loud, loud our voices ring,
Good news the Lord he bring,
now let my people go.
Oh, just you look and see that light,
The Day of Liberty's coming, coming,
Almost gone, the gloomy night,
The Day of Liberty's coming.
The Union folks, they wait so long,
We think they never was coming,
coming,
And Sekeshi got so strong,
We think they never was coming.
Now Uncle A .P. say, come,
Massa, while you wait,
And for the slave he'll pay,
for he must let us go.
Oh, just you look and see that light,
The day of liberty's coming, coming,
Oh, the blessed, blessed sight,
The day of liberty's coming.
He was a prophet,
at least was his wise,
For he told of the battles to come,
and he trembled with dread
when he rolled up his eyes
and we heated the shake of his thumb
yes he clothed us with fear
yet the garments he wore
were in patches at elbow and knee
and he still wears the suit
that he used to of yore
as he sleeps in the old challah tree
just you look and see that light
the day of liberties coming coming
almost gone the gloomy night
the day of Liberty's coming.
Nicodemus was never the sport of the lash,
though the bullet has off
-crossed his path.
There were none of his masters
so brave or so rash
as to face such a man in his wrath.
Yet his great heart with kindness
was filled to the brim.
He obeyed who was born to command,
but he longed for the morning,
which then was so dim,
the morning which now is at hand.
Why, folks, in this we trust,
The day of liberty's coming, coming
We will fight and die for us
The day of liberty's coming
Yes, yes, we'll fight and sing
Loud, loud our voices ring
Soon, soon the mighty king
Will let his people go
Oh, just you look and see that light
The day of liberty's coming, coming
Now we'll help the Yankees fight
The day of liberty's coming
Oh, the Lord will bring it right
The day of liberty's coming,
From this dreadful bloody fight
The day of liberty's coming
Shout, everyone shout and sing aloud
Let your voices ring
Soon, soon the mighty king
Will let his people go
Just you look and see that light
The day of liberty's coming, coming
Yes, the Lord will bring it right
The day of liberty's coming
It was a long weary night
We were almost in fear
That the future was more than he knew
It was a long weary night,
but the morning is near
and the words of our
prophet are true.
There are signs in the sky
that the darkness is gone.
There are tokens in endless array.
For when the storm
which has seemingly banished the dawn
only hastens the advent of day.
Just you look and see that light,
the day of liberty's coming, coming,
yes the Lord will bring it right,
the day of liberty's coming.