Show Them The Way

Producer

Released in 2020, the song was inspired by a dream Stevie Nicks had that included several political figures—Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, and John… Read More

Oct. 9, 20201 viewer

Show Them The Way Lyrics

(Please God)
Please God, show 'em the way
Please God, on this day
Spirits all given the strength
Peace can come if you really want it

I had a fragile dream
In a grey house in the Hamptons
I'd been there before
Singing songs and doing benefits
Was in a room alone
Putting on my makeup
Like so many things that come to me
The dress came across the Persian carpet
As I fell into the dress
A thought came to me
Into my heart
I have a dream
And a door opened
I turned to face the music
I was ready for the Kennedy's

I don't know if it was 1960 or 1963
Everything was timeless, even me
I wasn't old, I wasn't young
I was just part of their dream
A shadow walked with me down the hall
It was Martin Luther King
All in shadow, all before me
Overwhelmed by destiny
Someone said, "Sing us a song
There's a piano" and handed me a drink
The room was full of hope
A song would set them free

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And I said
Please God, show 'em the way
Please God, on this day
Spirits all given the strength
Peace can come if you really want it

I sat at the piano
Stared out of the shadows
I sang the words, "I have a dream"
He wasn't my old friend John
I didn't know him then
But he smiled at me
And I sang these words
"Whatever it takes
Whatever it takes to be free"
No, I didn't know these men
But they knew me
It was all symbolic
Nothing was as it seemed
They all left us in a single shot
But they didn't take the dream
They were there in that house
Discussing the future
And drinking champagne
I was just a piano player
The voice, part of their dream
I was thirty-five and maybe I was fifteen
It was just another night in the presence of Martin Luther King
I was just a dreamer
I was ready for the Kennedy's

And I said
Please God, show 'em the way
Please God, on this day
Light the fire, start it over
Tell the world about the dream
Start it up and make it real

Please God
Show him the way
Please God
Show her the way
Please God
Show them the way
Please God

Back in the room where it all began
My heart began to heal
I believe it
I remember the beauty of the Hamptons
Shadows playing in the sun
A voice said
"The dream is not over, no
The dream has just begun"
I spun around to see another shadow
Slipping through the door
And my eyes opened wide
"What is this all for?"
And the shadow said
"Don't forget it
Don't forget what we were fighting for
Don't forget it"

And I said
Please God, show 'em the way
(It's just another night)
Please God, on this day
(Martin Luther King)
Spirits all given the strength
(Sing us a song)
Peace can come if you fight for it
(Don't forget it)
Think we're just in time to say
(Ooh, and said, oh said)
Please God, show 'em the way
(All in shadow)
Please God, on this day
(All before me)
Spirits all given the strength

Peace can come if you fight for it
Think we're just in time to say this
Set them free
Room was full of hope

Please God, show 'em the way
(I believe it)
Please God, on this day
(Don't forget it)
Spirits all given the strength
(Don't forget what
We were fighting for)
Think we're just in time to say
Peace can come
If you fight for it
Peace can come
If you try harder
Peace can come
Ooh, if you really want it

The dream
Don't forget it
Please God
Show them the way

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About

Released in 2020, the song was inspired by a dream Stevie Nicks had that included several political figures—Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, and John Lewis. Written while in Chicago in 2008, she was moved by watching certain historical documentaries.

A plea for guidance with reminiscences from her past, in the context of the above change-makers, is what the song’s lyrics paint, e.g. her lines:

“I don’t know if it was 1960 or 1963
Everything was timeless, even me
I wasn’t old, I wasn’t young
I was just part of their dream”

Released in October 2020, the piano version was dedicated to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
Her tweet at the time begins,

I dedicate this lyric video for ‘Show Them the ‘Way’ to our new President and Vice President — Joe Biden and Kamala Harris — and to all of the brilliant people … gathered to go on this adventure with them. Good luck to you both. I know you will do great things. I feel it in my bones.”