HOMELESS MAN DIES IN ALLEY
Frozen urine holds him to the pavement.
He has a friend in Jesus.

VACANT-EYED WOMAN CLUTCHES INFANT
in Sarajevo. It is two days dead.
They have a friend in Jesus.

MUDSLIDES IN LISBON
Thousands are buried.
They have a friend in Jesus.

And the beat goes on . . .
               And the beat goes on
                             Yada dada dee . . .
                                         Yada dada dah

TRUCKER KILLS FAMILY OF FOUR
Tests positive for cocaine.
They have a friend in Jesus.

MASKED GUNMEN KILL SIX
in fast-food restaurant.
They have a friend in Jesus.

SCHOOL BUS PLUNGES INTO RAVINE
Town grieves at mass funeral.
They have a friend in Jesus.

And the beat goes on . . .
               And the beat goes on
                             Yada dada dee . . .
                                         Yada dada dah

PRISONS OVERCROWDED
Riots kill forty.
They have a friend in Jesus.

WIFE POISONS HUSBAND
on fiftieth anniversary.
They have a friend in Jesus.

EARTHQUAKE CAUSES BRIDGE COLLAPSE
Mother and children crushed.
They have a friend in Jesus.

And the beat goes on . . .
               And the beat goes on
                             Yada dada dee . . .
                                         Yada dada dah

He spoke to us each night
and he told us “Courage”
and they tried to cancel him
but they couldn't.
He stayed on the air
speaking to us
but he didn't say “Courage” anymore.
And he has a friend in Jesus.
.
ARAB KILLS JEW KILLS MOSLEM KILLS CHRISTIAN
Serb kills Croat kills Muslim kills Serb.
Black kills white kills red kills self.
They have a friend in Jesus.

STAMPEDING LEMMINGS
Seaward bound.
They have a friend in Jesus.

And the beat goes on . . .
               And the beat goes on
                             Yada dada dee . . .
                                         Yada dada dah

TEENAGER COLLAPSES, DIES
during basketball game.
He has a friend in Jesus.

CHOLERA OUTBREAK KILLS
eleven thousand in mideast.
They have a friend in Jesus.

CANCER, AIDS, BOOZE, COCAINE
Incest, neglect, child abuse.
Serial killers, crack babies.
All have a friend in Jesus.

And the beat goes on . . .
               And the beat goes on
                             Yada dada dee . . .
                                         Yada dada dah

SECRET RADIATION TESTING
in state schools.
They have a friend in Jesus.

TEACHER SHOOTS ADMINISTRATORS
at negotiations table.
They have a friend in Jesus.

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES RAGE
Leave thousands homeless.
They have a friend in Jesus.

And the beat goes on . . .
               And the beat goes on
                             Yada dada dee . . .
                                         Yada dada dah

KING VERDICT CAUSES RIOTING
in seventeen major cities.
They have a friend in Jesus.

THIRD AMTRAK DERAILMENT
in two weeks. Eleven dead.
They have a friend in Jesus.

TODDLER TAKES FATAL PLUNGE
down open well. Dies.
She has a friend in Jesus.

And the beat goes on . . .
               And the beat goes on
                             Yada dada dee . . .
                                         Yada dada dah

AIDS BREAKOUT TRACED
to contaminated blood.
We have a friend in Jesus.

BOSNIAN DEATH TOLL
passes two hundred thousand.
They have a friend in Jesus.

The children are hungry.
The people are tired.
We have a friend in Jesus.

And the beat goes on . . .
               And the beat goes on
                             Yada dada dee . . .
                                         Yada dada dah

. . . . .

Eventually it came to pass
that the people were of one nation

And the beat goes on . . .
               And the beat goes on
                             Yada dada dee . . .
                                         Yada dada dah