This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
I went to see the preacher
To teach me how to pray
He looked at me and smiled
Then the preacher turned away
He said if you want to tell him something
You ain't gotta fold your hands
Say it with your heart
Your soul and believe it
And I'd say amen
Bang a drum for the sinners
Bang a drum for the sins
Bang a drum for the losers
And those who win
Bang a drum bang it loudly
Or as soft as you need
Bang a drum for yourself son
And a drum for me
I called upon my brother just the
Other day, he said: John I'm gonna
Die if I don't start to live again
I work each day and night like clockwork
Just trying to make ends meet
I could kick this bad world's ass
If I could just get on my feet
I'd bang a drum for the dying
Bang a drum for the truth
Bang a drum for the innocence
Lost in our youth
Bang a drum bang it loudly
Or as soft as you need
Bang a drum for you brother
And a drum for me
I don't know where all the rivers run
I don't know how far, I don't know how come
But I'm gonna die believin'
Each step that I take
Ain't worth the ground that
I walk on
If we don't walk it our
Own way
No I don't claim to be a wiseman
A poet or a saint
I'm just another man who's searching
For a better way
But my heart beats loud as thunder
For the things that I believe
Sometimes I wanna run for cover
Sometimes I want to scream
Bang a drum for tomorrow
Bang a drum for the past
Bang a drum for the heros
That won't come back
Bang a drum for the promise
Bang a drum for the lies
Bang a drum for the lovers
And the tears they've cried
Bang a drum bang it loudly
Or as soft as you need
But as long as my heart keeps on bangin'
I got a reason to believe
To teach me how to pray
He looked at me and smiled
Then the preacher turned away
He said if you want to tell him something
You ain't gotta fold your hands
Say it with your heart
Your soul and believe it
And I'd say amen
Bang a drum for the sinners
Bang a drum for the sins
Bang a drum for the losers
And those who win
Bang a drum bang it loudly
Or as soft as you need
Bang a drum for yourself son
And a drum for me
I called upon my brother just the
Other day, he said: John I'm gonna
Die if I don't start to live again
I work each day and night like clockwork
Just trying to make ends meet
I could kick this bad world's ass
If I could just get on my feet
I'd bang a drum for the dying
Bang a drum for the truth
Bang a drum for the innocence
Lost in our youth
Bang a drum bang it loudly
Or as soft as you need
Bang a drum for you brother
And a drum for me
I don't know where all the rivers run
I don't know how far, I don't know how come
But I'm gonna die believin'
Each step that I take
Ain't worth the ground that
I walk on
If we don't walk it our
Own way
No I don't claim to be a wiseman
A poet or a saint
I'm just another man who's searching
For a better way
But my heart beats loud as thunder
For the things that I believe
Sometimes I wanna run for cover
Sometimes I want to scream
Bang a drum for tomorrow
Bang a drum for the past
Bang a drum for the heros
That won't come back
Bang a drum for the promise
Bang a drum for the lies
Bang a drum for the lovers
And the tears they've cried
Bang a drum bang it loudly
Or as soft as you need
But as long as my heart keeps on bangin'
I got a reason to believe
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
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Theres a great version of this sung with Chris LeDoux.