Once upon a time there lived a man Hmm Hmm
Many years ago in a foreign land
He knew how to live right, tried to be a light
Gave everybody a helping hand
I'm gonna try to be that way Hmm Hmm
I'm gonna try to be that way
Do the kind of things Lord a man oughta do
Say the kind of things a man oughta say
I'm gonna try to be that way
Verse
He never done anybody wrong
He tried to help everybody 'long
He brought a better land to make a better man
Out of the rich or the poor
Or the weak or the strong
And he preached love and brotherhood
He went around doin' good, doin' good
Everywhere he went they knew that he was sent
And the people started actin' like they should
I'm gonna try to be that way Hmm Hmm
I'm gonna try to be that way
Do the kind of things Lord a man oughta do
Say the kind of things a man oughta say
I'm gonna try to be that way