HANDS OF JOSEPH

Ralph McTell

When they looked at Joseph's hands
They said, they're the hands of a carpenter
They're big and they're powerful and they're strong
They're the hands that should work in wood
And they're the hands that should work a long day
Joseph he did all them things
But he also learned how to play

He would sing about joy, sing about faith
That the people wished they had
How he heard the voice of Jesus
When the rolling sea got mad
He's a boat in that harbour, and he's safe in that love
He knows some day he'd be sailing above

When they looked at Joseph's hands
They said, they're the hands of a stonemason
They're big and they're powerful and they're strong
They're the hands that should work with stone
And they're the hands that should work a long day
Now Joseph he did all them things
But he also learned how to play

He would sing about joy, sing about faith
That the people wished they had
How he heard the voice of Jesus
When the rolling sea got mad
He's a boat in that harbour, and he's safe in that love
He knows some day he'd be sailing above

When they looked at Joseph's hands
They said, they're the hands of a fisherman
The musician and the mason-carpenter
And he's happy all the time
Cos, they're working every day
And those old hands of Joseph
Oh how you can play

He would sing about joy, sing about faith
That the people wished they had
How he heard the voice of Jesus
When the rolling sea got mad
He's a boat in that harbour, and he's safe in that love
He knows some day he'd be sailing above