Hold me up, I want to see the parade

There was a demonstration in our town, quiet but very tense
I've always been a bit nosy, so I guess that's the reason I went
There were people carrying signs that said, we want equality now.
And I thought to myself, boy, look at that will you. look what the law allows.

A little girl and her mother were standing up next to the curb
The little girl said, mommy, I can't see the parade, and it happened that I heard
The woman who was with the little girl was small, and when she turned and smiled
I thought I'd do them a favor, so I offered to hold the child

When I held the little girl in my arms, I was glad of the offer I'd made
She said, thank you, mister, for holding me up; I wanted to see the parade.
Then she asked me a question, and it took me by surprise
She said, mister, why does my daddy hate all those people going by?

I said, well you know they're not the same--but listen to me
And I noticed that the child was blind, so I looked around for an answer; it was pretty hard to find
So I set her down by her mama's side and I patted her on the head
And that night as I sat in my own little room, I thought of the words she said

And that night, I took a good look at myself, and this is the prayer I prayed
I said, lord, I want you to hold me up, 'cause I want to see the parade.

• I Can't Dance
• I Hope It Rains at My Funeral
• I Took a Memory to Lunch
• I Want to See The Parade
• Mama Bake a Pie
• Old Enough to Want To
• One Hundred Children
• The Hitch-hiker