As we celebrate this year’s Dr. Martin Luther King holiday, I would like to share the lyrics I wrote as a children’s song, an adaptation to the melody of “We Shall Overcome“.
In 1999-2000, a musician friend of mine, Linda MacFarlane, and I had a weekly children’s music gig at the Teacher’s Closet store in downtown Rutland, VT (has since closed, now is Cafe Tera). For the 2000 MLK Holiday, I came up with some alternative lyrics to “We Shall Overcome”, that we played and sang with the children for that week’s gathering. Later, Linda and I also used this song when we taught “Guitars In The Classroom” courses, in in 2002-2005, at the Rutland Rec. Dept.
The lyrics are below for you to read, or sing along with. After that, the guitar chords to verse 1 are listed, in case you want to strum along (or have a friend play guitar for you).
Martin Had A Dream
To the tune of “We Shall Overcome”
Song for children, new lyrics by Ron Pulcer (2000)
For Martin Luther King Day (January 15th)
Martin had a dream.
Martin had a dream.
Martin Luther King had a dream…
Oh, deep in his heart,
He did believe,
We could live in peace someday.
Ski The Middle VT 