Never fails to bring tears to my eyes. A special song that resonates with those of us who lived through those horrible times. Beautiful. Thanks for finally reacting to this one.
I was 2 years old when RFK and MLK jr were assassinated, so I don't have the sentiment of hearing of their deaths in real time, but, the song does the same thing to me.
Agree wholeheartedly! I also grew up during the swinging but tumultuous '60s and vividly remember the assassinations of all four of these great men! This legendary song by Dion will forever remain timeless........One cannot help but feel emotional during the last line - you can visualize Abraham, Martin, John and young Bobby walking arm in arm over a hill with the sun setting in the horizon! Just a beautiful and meaningful song!
I was 6 years old when JFK was assassinated!! I can still remember the entire school that I was in, which was a Catholic School, stopped classes and we all marched around the block saying Hail Marys with a rosary!! All the adults were crying!! I was in the first grade and didn't understand why the adults were all crying!! Then I went home cuz they let us off early and when I got home my mom was watching TV and she was also crying!! She told me to just go outside and play!! 😢😢 Then 5 years later we have the assassination of both Martin Luther King and John's brother Bobby Kennedy!! Two men that would have accomplished great things if allowed to continue living!! But there are people in this world that don't want great things to happen for everyone!! Quite unfortunate that it's still going on to this day just about 60 years later!! We still haven't learned our lesson!!!😢😢
@bernardsalvatore1929 - You wanna hear something amazingly ironic? I was 8 when Kennedy was assassinated and am also Catholic. I went to Corpus Christi Catholic School in Columbus, OH when I was in first grade, although, but finished my elementary years (including first grade gain) in a small public school near Obetz, which is/was a rural community on the southern region of Columbus.......Corpus Christi was actually a cathedral, and quite scary for young kids starting their school careers with enormously high ceilings, stained glass everywhere, voices echoing, etc.....Sister Poverello informed our class and we did pretty much the same thing with the Rosary and Hail Marys, except we marched throughout the long halls of the cathedral before going home early and like you stated, both my parents were sitting in front of our old peg-legged b&w Zenith television watching Walter Cronkite delivering the tragic events! Still a very surreal moment whenever I reminisce about it!
This was being put together in June 1968, two months after MLK's assassination. Then, Robert Kennedy was assassinated, which is why "Bobby" gets mentioned toward the end.
Tom Clay's tribute song I think is actually better. It's his rendition of "What the World Needs Now (Abraham, Martin & John)" of which I refer to.. It's the added sound track to the song which takes it over the top. Adding a child's perspective to all these tragedies makes it even more impactful.
Bobby,Robert F Kennedy, was JFK's younger brother. He had served as US Attorney General under Pres Kennedy. He was running for President in June 1968 when he was assassinated. Approx 60 days after the assassination of MLK. Losing the two of them so close together was a numbing gut punch to the entire country. Many in the country lost their idealism at that point. It's impossible to measure how much we lost, but life in the US has never been these same since then.
The way he masterfully wove Bobby Kennedy into the ending too was notable. I remember so very well the days that three of the four were taken from us and the national shock and grief that followed. Great suggestion for today and good on you for following through. 👍🏼
Announcing MLK jr's death was one of the best speeches ever given, IMO. It's so amazing how RFK kept the people from rising up. They had every right to do so, but RFK tried to bring the country together and it is remarkable to look back on these moments in history (though some of us weren't born yet, or were very young). Remarkable men, all 4 of them!!!
True. I remember all but Abraham of course. I had seen Bobby Kennedy about 3 weeks before he was killed. It happened so soon after Dr. Martin Luther King jr. I was 10 years old then.
Fun fact: The songwriters who wrote "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" were gathered together in New York to write a follow-up and were up late in one of their apartments when the news broke that Bobby Kennedy had been shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. The mood in the room immediately changed and their work on another Snoopy song for the band the Royal Guardsmen came to a sudden halt. A day later, news broke that Bobby had died and the songwriters got back to work. But instead of writing a Snoopy sequel, they were moved to write Abraham, Martin and John. Many recorded it, but only Dion's version received much airplay and became a hit...just weeks after RFK was gone. It still makes me cry every time I hear it. It's the night America died for me.
@@ProdigyBowlersTour I still recall being 10 yrs old and watching TV seeing the train carrying Bobby Kennedy, traveling across the plains after leaving L.A.
Originally called "The Red Baron" the song was written and recorded in 1962 by Dick Holler, in 1966 it was offered to the Royal Guardsmen and the lyrics and title were changed by Holler & Producer Phil Gemhard. Abraham, Martin & John was written in 1968 By Dick Holler alone.
You closed your eyes early in Abraham's pics. One had the saying "I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends." Such a strong statement and full of wisdom!
When I was in college, I attended an intensive self-improvement conference that spanned over four days. On the third day, the key note speaker gave a powerful speech about understanding how one person can change everything, whether it's for good or for bad. He captivated us and at the very end they played the video of this song on the jumbo screen. It moved me so much that I broke down in tears. I had never heard this song before. I will never forget that life changing moment.
There was a performer in the 1960's named Moms Mabley, who was known for her comedy. She actually does a talking/singing performance of this song that is very emotional.
Thank you to all the brave, uncompromising souls that speak the truth boldly and refuse to accept hypocrisy! We are better for your stance and unflinching integrity!🇺🇸✝️👊
Those of us that were mature individuals in the '60s knew immediately who these first names were. I was there for JFK, MLK and RFK being assassinated. This song was pretty powerful.
"I thought I saw him walkin' up over the hill with Abraham, Martin, and John" always gets me, particularly when you consider in 1965 Robert F Kennedy was the first to climb to the summit of Mount Kennedy which had been newly renamed after his late brother John F Kennedy.
So glad you are getting to this tune. And how appropriate. So, I was 13 when JFK was killed and 18 when MLK and RFK were killed. And have always loved Lincoln. So this tune hit hard back in the day. Thanks Jay. Singing along here.
Yes, very beautiful. Thank you. The 1960s feel like paradise to my generation, looking back (b. 1963), but damn, they must have been a rough trip, honestly.
No, actually you don't. Those 'charges' were never true felonies, nor even true charges, but purely the result of the most egregious weaponisation of the US Dept. of Justice in the history of your great country. Donald J Trump is no more a felon than you are. Do some research into what real lawyers (not the fake pretend ones like Wills and Bragg) have to say about the legalities of that farce.
Oh what a perfect day for this! Love this song. I'm a distant cousin of Abraham Lincoln so it's special. But it's such a beautiful tribute to some very great men! And still brings tears to me eyes when I hear it. Maybe living though most of those assassinations even though I was very young, I remember how terrible those days were. Thank you Jay, great reaction!! ❤❤❤❤❤
Yes, times were bad, but our country is much worse off right now-a convicted felon was just inauguarated to lead the country. Nothing to celebrate, in fact, it's tragic.
5:35 What J actually said about this song is that it's "the perfect stinking song for Martin Luther King Day." I could have done without that reference being made. However, I guess it's the Generational gap in understanding the meaning behind using that word in the manner in which he did. J totally not mentioning Bobby in the song I have no explanation why. However, it's MLK Jr. Day and that's the only tribute that ultimately really matters here.
I was 3 when JFK was killed, 8 when MLK & RFK were shot. Even 8 yr olds can understand a tragedy when they see it. We sang this song a couple of years later in the elementary school chorus and I still remember the lyrics. ❤❤
I was in 1st grade when JFK was assassinated. We didn't understand why the teachers were crying or why we were sent home. But we were smart enough to know it was bad. Song still makes me teary-eyed.
I remember the assassinations of President Kennedy, MLK, and Bobby Kennedy. They were days that should have been filled with happiness, not sorrow. As for President Lincoln, no, i definitely wasn't around. But, I've been to the Ford's Theater, and looking up at the box where he was sitting and then shot, and then going downstairs to the museum where there's so many memorable items, i felt pushed back in time, like i was there. To me, it's eerie, but not in a ghostly way. Thank you for reacting to this song. It brought back a lot of memories.
Dion is still recording today. He had an album in 2021 where he did duets with 16 different famous singers called Stomping Ground. This song was released not long after MLK Jr and Bobby Kennedy were assasinated in 1968.
i was in 7th grade when i got the chance to see bobby kennedy come to a downtown park in san jose, ca for one of his rallies. a week later he headed to los angeles where it all came to an end. 😢
At 70 I had just finished middle school and was headed for high school that summer of 1968. It was the year I started reading something in the papers other then the baseball scores and funnies starting when Dr King was so shockingly murdered. Such an eventful and tragic year. I remember my dad, a Republican, surprised me a few years later saying "If Bobby had lived this country would have been a lot healthier." Dad was right as usual.
🇬🇧 Oh, im bawling again 😢. I started as soon as i heard the music , before he even started singing, i was in tears. Just a beautiful song, sung beautifully by Dion.🎼🫂❤️❤️❤️❤️
I love this song, even now at 71 this song tugs at the heart strings, thanks for playing this, I have enjoyed Dion since i was a kid and i still enjoy him today. A fine young Italian American man and thank you Dion for all the wonderful years of music.
Elvis Presley's IF I CAN DREAM ( performed live on his comeback show December 1968) the song was written for Elvis , the writer knowing how Elvis was deeply affected by the assassinations of MLK Jr. (in April) and RFK (in June) of the same year. -----great tribute for MLK Day, also.
If I CAN DREAM Lyrics: [Verse 1] There must be lights burning brighter somewhere Got to be birds flying higher in a sky more blue If I can dream of a better land, where all my brothers walk hand in hand Tell me why, oh why, oh why can't my dream come true, oh why [Verse 2] There must be peace and understanding sometime Strong wind of promise that will blow away the doubt and fear If I can dream of a warmer sun, where hope keeps shining on everyone Tell me why, oh why, oh why won't that sun appear [Bridge] We're lost in a cloud with too much rain We're trapped in a world that's troubled with pain But as long as a man has the strength to dream He can redeem his soul and fly (He can fly) [Verse 3] Deep in my heart, there's a trembling question Still, I am sure that the answer's... answer's gonna come somehow Out there in the dark, there's a beckoning candle, yeah And while I can think, while I can talk, while I can stand, while I can walk While I can dream, oh, please let my dream come true, oh, right now [Outro] Let it come true right now Oh, yeah
That was awesome, Jay! It’s so rewarding to us “older” folks to witness a young person listen and review songs with such deep meaning and to appreciate them. Thank you!
I was a freshman in my college dorm room when I heard that JFK had been shot. I'll never forget the sinking feeling I experienced at that time. In this recording, Dion did a fine job of honoring him, Martin, Abraham, and Bobby.
I remember this song when it first came out. I was preschool age so I didn’t fully understand it. But did see on tv a lot of coverage of mlk and Bobby Kennedys assassination. Both were civil rights leaders. I didn’t appreciate the theme as much as I do now but I loved the song and sang along even tho I was only 4-5 yrs old when it came out. Beautiful song to remind us to be kind and loving to all people, even if they are not like us. ❤😊 even more so to those unlike ourselves. Thus paying it forward.
Oh my gosh, I just noticed how much RFK Jr. looks like his dad. I'm too young to remember this era, but this song always touches my heart anyway. RIP, gentlemen.
This is really powerful for those of us who were around when JFK, MLK and RFK were assassinated. It was a rough decade. This came out shortly after the RFK assassination. Marvin Gaye did a version that charted in the UK in the Top 10.
Crosby Stills and Nash's "Long Time Gone" is also a reaction to RFK's assassination. David Crosby (who had been kicked out of the Byrds for denouncing the Warren Commission's report on the JFK killing) wrote it that night.
So wonderful seeing younger people listening in on my generations music. I was 15 when this came out. Also, when you can, listen to Dion and the Belmonts, songs suggested " Teenager in Love" and "Wonder why" 50's style doo woop. Why did he say "Stinking" song at the end?, is that a slang refrence?
You to do Smokey Robinson and The Miracles version of Abraham, Martin and John, you won’t regret it. This is the one that was played on WVON am 1390 in Chicago, the station that made The Motown sound famous.
May our Lord God Almighty have mercy on their souls. These men had faults, as WE ALL, AS HUMANS DO, but they wished peace and good for Humanity as a WHOLE. Never to be forgotten! 💞💞💞💞
This great song and another were combined with actual news bulletins and an innocent child's interview by a DJ Tom Clay. "What the World Needs Now / Abraham, Martin and John" makes me choke up every time I hear it. Now that you listened to this, check it out.
A far cry from Dion's "The Wanderer" and "Runaround Sue." There's a heartbreaking cover of this song by Moms Mabley from 1969, a year after the original's release. She was an older comedienne who broke character and delivered this song in a very real, tear-jerking way. It got radio play and cracked the Top 40 making her at age 75 the oldest to do so up until then.
The good die young standing up for the right of others. We must keep fighting for the ones who are weaker than us and not let the self-interested win and again not all of us will make it stand together for all people who are different.
Dick Holler originally wrote the song... he shopped it around and Dion was the first to record it. Harry Belafonte did a nice version of this in 1970. I really like his version.
As long as their messages, their hope for America living up to it's ideals, their drive for progress isn't buried in the noise and rhetoric of those who oppose them for whatever reason....they live still in our hearts.
Marvin Gaye, with an orchestral arrangement by Norman Whitfield, also recorded a version in 1969 that became a top-ten hit (reaching number 9) in the United Kingdom in 1970 (Gaye's version was never released in the U.S. as a single but was featured on his 1970 album, That's the Way Love Is, and was one of his first experiments with social messages in his music which would culminate in his 1971 album, What's Going On.)
When I hear Dion Sing about Bobby, I lose it... this is one of the most impactful song ever made ... the events he sings about changed our world forever
Folk singer Phil Ochs (who you've reacted to before) wrote a song, "Too Many Martyrs," which focuses on the June 1963 assassination of another civil rights leader, Medgar Evers. Definitely worth a listen.
Sooo many assassinations in the 60s. This book has always made me tear up. Bobby Kennedy and MLK were assassinated within a couple of months of each other. I remember how awful it was. The whole country mourned. It was four great men.
Never fails to bring tears to my eyes. A special song that resonates with those of us who lived through those horrible times. Beautiful. Thanks for finally reacting to this one.
I was 2 years old when RFK and MLK jr were assassinated, so I don't have the sentiment of hearing of their deaths in real time, but, the song does the same thing to me.
Agree wholeheartedly! I also grew up during the swinging but tumultuous '60s and vividly remember the assassinations of all four of these great men! This legendary song by Dion will forever remain timeless........One cannot help but feel emotional during the last line - you can visualize Abraham, Martin, John and young Bobby walking arm in arm over a hill with the sun setting in the horizon! Just a beautiful and meaningful song!
@@n_baileyname2698 Me, too. Which makes me sad wondering what RFK would think about his son's support of Donald Chump's policies and actions.
I was 6 years old when JFK was assassinated!! I can still remember the entire school that I was in, which was a Catholic School, stopped classes and we all marched around the block saying Hail Marys with a rosary!!
All the adults were crying!!
I was in the first grade and didn't understand why the adults were all crying!!
Then I went home cuz they let us off early and when I got home my mom was watching TV and she was also crying!! She told me to just go outside and play!!
😢😢
Then 5 years later we have the assassination of both Martin Luther King and John's brother Bobby Kennedy!! Two men that would have accomplished great things if allowed to continue living!!
But there are people in this world that don't want great things to happen for everyone!!
Quite unfortunate that it's still going on to this day just about 60 years later!! We still haven't learned our lesson!!!😢😢
@bernardsalvatore1929 - You wanna hear something amazingly ironic? I was 8 when Kennedy was assassinated and am also Catholic. I went to Corpus Christi Catholic School in Columbus, OH when I was in first grade, although, but finished my elementary years (including first grade gain) in a small public school near Obetz, which is/was a rural community on the southern region of Columbus.......Corpus Christi was actually a cathedral, and quite scary for young kids starting their school careers with enormously high ceilings, stained glass everywhere, voices echoing, etc.....Sister Poverello informed our class and we did pretty much the same thing with the Rosary and Hail Marys, except we marched throughout the long halls of the cathedral before going home early and like you stated, both my parents were sitting in front of our old peg-legged b&w Zenith television watching Walter Cronkite delivering the tragic events! Still a very surreal moment whenever I reminisce about it!
This was being put together in June 1968, two months after MLK's assassination. Then, Robert Kennedy was assassinated, which is why "Bobby" gets mentioned toward the end.
Tom Clay's tribute song I think is actually better. It's his rendition of "What the World Needs Now (Abraham, Martin & John)" of which I refer to.. It's the added sound track to the song which takes it over the top. Adding a child's perspective to all these tragedies makes it even more impactful.
Meant a lot at the time!❤ you remember so many singers! I’m impressed ❤ great memory and apply it to reactions! Great job!❤
Thanks for the explanation..I’ve never heard this song until now…
Bobby,Robert F Kennedy, was JFK's younger brother. He had served as US Attorney General under Pres Kennedy.
He was running for President in June 1968 when he was assassinated. Approx 60 days after the assassination of MLK.
Losing the two of them so close together was a numbing gut punch to the entire country. Many in the country lost their idealism at that point.
It's impossible to measure how much we lost, but life in the US has never been these same since then.
I didn't know this. Thanks for sharing.
Dion is still alive… In his 80s, and the song was so exceptional all those years ago and so relevant now🙏‼️
AND he's still doing great albums.
The way he masterfully wove Bobby Kennedy into the ending too was notable. I remember so very well the days that three of the four were taken from us and the national shock and grief that followed.
Great suggestion for today and good on you for following through. 👍🏼
Announcing MLK jr's death was one of the best speeches ever given, IMO. It's so amazing how RFK kept the people from rising up. They had every right to do so, but RFK tried to bring the country together and it is remarkable to look back on these moments in history (though some of us weren't born yet, or were very young). Remarkable men, all 4 of them!!!
It's hard to listen to this song without shredding a tear 😢 ❤🙏
True. I remember all but Abraham of course. I had seen Bobby Kennedy about 3 weeks before he was killed. It happened so soon after Dr. Martin Luther King jr. I was 10 years old then.
This is an iconic song that never gets old …. Such a beautiful song in such a great tribute to four great men
Fun fact: The songwriters who wrote "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" were gathered together in New York to write a follow-up and were up late in one of their apartments when the news broke that Bobby Kennedy had been shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. The mood in the room immediately changed and their work on another Snoopy song for the band the Royal Guardsmen came to a sudden halt. A day later, news broke that Bobby had died and the songwriters got back to work. But instead of writing a Snoopy sequel, they were moved to write Abraham, Martin and John. Many recorded it, but only Dion's version received much airplay and became a hit...just weeks after RFK was gone. It still makes me cry every time I hear it. It's the night America died for me.
For me as well.
@@ProdigyBowlersTour
I still recall being 10 yrs old and watching TV seeing the train carrying Bobby Kennedy, traveling across the plains after leaving L.A.
@@garyarnett1220 It’s so sad that Bobby’s son is such a crackpot.
@@ProdigyBowlersTour wow. Never knew the writers. Thanks for sharing this!
Originally called "The Red Baron" the song was written and recorded in 1962 by Dick Holler, in 1966 it was offered to the Royal Guardsmen and the lyrics and title were changed by Holler & Producer Phil Gemhard. Abraham, Martin & John was written in 1968 By Dick Holler alone.
4 people: Abraham, John, Martin, and Bobby.
I agree. J somehow forgot to recognize Bobby here. Attention to detail is everything especially in a tribute song like this.
@@honestone490 he closes his eyes quite a bit during these reactions while amber kept her eyes open for the most part.
@ joelanderos23- Maybe he concentrates better with his eyes closed. He probably missed the visual of RFK. That might explain the omission.
I remember when this song played on the radio. One would listen, remember, mourn.
I'm 71 and was around for all of their assassinations. I always cry and have chills after listening to this song. 😢
Lincoln?
73. Same. Now the Dems are trying to add another verse for DJT.
You're not old enough to have been alive during the Lincoln assassination
@@RealTechZenthat would be awesome
You closed your eyes early in Abraham's pics. One had the saying "I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends." Such a strong statement and full of wisdom!
That continues to be my only criticism of Jay. He closes his eyes and misses so much.
@@candacemay7187 He missed the visual of RFK also on the screen which probably explains why he never mentioned him in his reaction.
I have never been able to listen to this song without shedding some tears. Heartbreaking
When I was in college, I attended an intensive self-improvement conference that spanned over four days. On the third day, the key note speaker gave a powerful speech about understanding how one person can change everything, whether it's for good or for bad. He captivated us and at the very end they played the video of this song on the jumbo screen. It moved me so much that I broke down in tears. I had never heard this song before. I will never forget that life changing moment.
Perfect song for today. This came out when I was a kid, not long after Bobby Kennedy was killed, and it breaks my heart every time I hear it.
There was a performer in the 1960's named Moms Mabley, who was known for her comedy. She actually does a talking/singing performance of this song that is very emotional.
Watch the clip from The Michael Douglas Show. She sang it after Bobby Kennedy was assassinated.
One of the most bittersweet songs ever.
Thank you to all the brave, uncompromising souls that speak the truth boldly and refuse to accept hypocrisy! We are better for your stance and unflinching integrity!🇺🇸✝️👊
Great choice for today!
Those of us that were mature individuals in the '60s knew immediately who these first names were. I was there for JFK, MLK and RFK being assassinated. This song was pretty powerful.
Bobby was assassinated the night of my Senior Prom. We heard about it at our After Glow, a celebration at our local amusement park.😿😿😿🥲🥲🥲
i saw bobby at a rally in san jose a week before he went to los angeles.
Medgar Evers, to name another good one fighting for justice gone too soon.
I cry every time I hear that song. There were 4 men in the song. Abraham, John and Bobby Kennedy, MLK!
Haven't heard this song in years. Brought tears to my eyes. TY J for your reaction.
God's Blessings for you.
"I thought I saw him walkin' up over the hill with Abraham, Martin, and John" always gets me, particularly when you consider in 1965 Robert F Kennedy was the first to climb to the summit of Mount Kennedy which had been newly renamed after his late brother John F Kennedy.
This was written in 1968 after Bobby was killed.
Yes, that was definitely a harp. The instrument is perfect in evoking a mental image of these people being received up into Heaven.
Great analogy! True❤
Thank you for this, Man! Sweet tunes about amazing individuals. Happy Dr. King Day, everyone!
Such a beautiful song. Been a favorite of mine ever since I first heard when I was a little kid nearly 50 years ago.
So glad you are getting to this tune. And how appropriate. So, I was 13 when JFK was killed and 18 when MLK and RFK were killed. And have always loved Lincoln. So this tune hit hard back in the day. Thanks Jay. Singing along here.
You have taken the same time journey I have- it's been quite a ride !
I shed tears from the moment this song begins.
Yes, very beautiful. Thank you.
The 1960s feel like paradise to my generation, looking back (b. 1963), but damn, they must have been a rough trip, honestly.
makes me sad that these men stood for something and today we have a felon in the WH with no morals or anything
Preach!!! So true
No, actually you don't. Those 'charges' were never true felonies, nor even true charges, but purely the result of the most egregious weaponisation of the US Dept. of Justice in the history of your great country. Donald J Trump is no more a felon than you are. Do some research into what real lawyers (not the fake pretend ones like Wills and Bragg) have to say about the legalities of that farce.
Sometimes, the wrong people get assassinated in history
Sadly, it might not be too long before you won't be able to post a thought like that.
Great song for today Jay. Happy Martin Luther King day! Blessings to you and your family!
Oh what a perfect day for this! Love this song. I'm a distant cousin of Abraham Lincoln so it's special. But it's such a beautiful tribute to some very great men! And still brings tears to me eyes when I hear it. Maybe living though most of those assassinations even though I was very young, I remember how terrible those days were. Thank you Jay, great reaction!! ❤❤❤❤❤
Yes, times were bad, but our country is much worse off right now-a convicted felon was just inauguarated to lead the country. Nothing to celebrate, in fact, it's tragic.
@jessieball6195 - Well, the good die young.
5:35 What J actually said about this song is that it's "the perfect stinking song for Martin Luther King Day." I could have done without that reference being made. However, I guess it's the Generational gap in understanding the meaning behind using that word in the manner in which he did. J totally not mentioning Bobby in the song I have no explanation why. However, it's MLK Jr. Day and that's the only tribute that ultimately really matters here.
@debibailey2968 I am also a distant cousin of Abraham Lincoln. . Good to meet you. 💕
I was 3 when JFK was killed, 8 when MLK & RFK were shot. Even 8 yr olds can understand a tragedy when they see it.
We sang this song a couple of years later in the elementary school chorus and I still remember the lyrics.
❤❤
I was in 1st grade when JFK was assassinated. We didn't understand why the teachers were crying or why we were sent home. But we were smart enough to know it was bad.
Song still makes me teary-eyed.
I was hoping you'd eventually make your way to this one, Jay. Such a great song. Dion is still making records.
This song always, ALWAYS gives me the chills. So glad you played it today!!! 💖💖💖💖
I remember the assassinations of President Kennedy, MLK, and Bobby Kennedy. They were days that should have been filled with happiness, not sorrow. As for President Lincoln, no, i definitely wasn't around. But, I've been to the Ford's Theater, and looking up at the box where he was sitting and then shot, and then going downstairs to the museum where there's so many memorable items, i felt pushed back in time, like i was there. To me, it's eerie, but not in a ghostly way. Thank you for reacting to this song. It brought back a lot of memories.
Dion is still recording today. He had an album in 2021 where he did duets with 16 different famous singers called Stomping Ground. This song was released not long after MLK Jr and Bobby Kennedy were assasinated in 1968.
i was in 7th grade when i got the chance to see bobby kennedy come to a downtown park in san jose, ca for one of his rallies. a week later he headed to los angeles where it all came to an end. 😢
An amazing piece of musical history 😊
At 70 I had just finished middle school and was headed for high school that summer of 1968. It was the year I started reading something in the papers other then the baseball scores and funnies starting when Dr King was so shockingly murdered. Such an eventful and tragic year. I remember my dad, a Republican, surprised me a few years later saying "If Bobby had lived this country would have been a lot healthier." Dad was right as usual.
I’m 71. Living thru these assassinations was heavy. Gutting. It all comes pouring back whenever I hear this song.
🇬🇧
Oh, im bawling again 😢. I started as soon as i heard the music , before he even started singing, i was in tears. Just a beautiful song, sung beautifully by Dion.🎼🫂❤️❤️❤️❤️
Happy Martin Luther King Day!
My Dad loved this song.
Simple but on point.
I'm sitting here bawling my eyes out😢😢
❤❤❤❤
RIP to ALL the good ones that have been taken too young!!!❤
I love this song, even now at 71 this song tugs at the heart strings, thanks for playing this, I have enjoyed Dion since i was a kid and i still enjoy him today. A fine young Italian American man and thank you Dion for all the wonderful years of music.
Elvis Presley's IF I CAN DREAM ( performed live on his comeback show December 1968) the song was written for Elvis , the writer knowing how Elvis was deeply affected by the assassinations of MLK Jr. (in April) and RFK (in June) of the same year. -----great tribute for MLK Day, also.
If I CAN DREAM
Lyrics:
[Verse 1]
There must be lights burning brighter somewhere
Got to be birds flying higher in a sky more blue
If I can dream of a better land, where all my brothers walk hand in hand
Tell me why, oh why, oh why can't my dream come true, oh why
[Verse 2]
There must be peace and understanding sometime
Strong wind of promise that will blow away the doubt and fear
If I can dream of a warmer sun, where hope keeps shining on everyone
Tell me why, oh why, oh why won't that sun appear
[Bridge]
We're lost in a cloud with too much rain
We're trapped in a world that's troubled with pain
But as long as a man has the strength to dream
He can redeem his soul and fly (He can fly)
[Verse 3]
Deep in my heart, there's a trembling question
Still, I am sure that the answer's... answer's gonna come somehow
Out there in the dark, there's a beckoning candle, yeah
And while I can think, while I can talk, while I can stand, while I can walk
While I can dream, oh, please let my dream come true, oh, right now
[Outro]
Let it come true right now
Oh, yeah
This great man is still singing fine songs. ❤❤❤❤
That was awesome, Jay! It’s so rewarding to us “older” folks to witness a young person listen and review songs with such deep meaning and to appreciate them. Thank you!
I always loved Dion, especially this song.
I was a freshman in my college dorm room when I heard that JFK had been shot. I'll never forget the sinking feeling I experienced at that time. In this recording, Dion did a fine job of honoring him, Martin, Abraham, and Bobby.
I loved this song as a kid when it first came out. I love to support you after the hard times you have been going through.
thanks so much for this great memory maker beautiful song
This song also include Robert Kennedy, John’s brother‼️
Lincoln was 56, JFK was 46 and MLK was 39 when they were killed.
And RFK 42.
This song is as emotional for me today as it did years ago. Beautiful choice for today.
Perfect song for today and still very fitting in today's times. We hippies really thought we were going to change the world ☮️
I remember this song when it first came out. I was preschool age so I didn’t fully understand it. But did see on tv a lot of coverage of mlk and Bobby Kennedys assassination. Both were civil rights leaders. I didn’t appreciate the theme as much as I do now but I loved the song and sang along even tho I was only 4-5 yrs old when it came out. Beautiful song to remind us to be kind and loving to all people, even if they are not like us. ❤😊 even more so to those unlike ourselves. Thus paying it forward.
Oh my gosh, I just noticed how much RFK Jr. looks like his dad.
I'm too young to remember this era, but this song always touches my heart anyway. RIP, gentlemen.
This is really powerful for those of us who were around when JFK, MLK and RFK were assassinated. It was a rough decade. This came out shortly after the RFK assassination. Marvin Gaye did a version that charted in the UK in the Top 10.
Crosby Stills and Nash's "Long Time Gone" is also a reaction to RFK's assassination. David Crosby (who had been kicked out of the Byrds for denouncing the Warren Commission's report on the JFK killing) wrote it that night.
And Mary Chapin Carpenter's "Stones in the Road" song makes mention of the passing by of Bobbie Kennedy's funeral train.
One of my all time favorite songs ❤
Yes, it was a harp playing.Dion is still making music in his 80's. He put out a blues album a couple of years ago and it was great!
For us that were young when all this happened, including the song, it always brings tears thinking about what might have been.
So wonderful seeing younger people listening in on my generations music. I was 15 when this came out. Also, when you can, listen to Dion and the Belmonts, songs suggested " Teenager in Love" and "Wonder why" 50's style doo woop. Why did he say "Stinking" song at the end?, is that a slang refrence?
You to do Smokey Robinson and The Miracles version of Abraham, Martin and John, you won’t regret it. This is the one that was played on WVON am 1390 in Chicago, the station that made The Motown sound famous.
4 people actually-Abraham, Martin, John and his brother Bobby.
Been trying for over a year fir you folks to play rhis. Just plsin greatness
RIP Abraham, John, Martin & Bobby (nice they added Bobby Kennedy to the group. He was so into equal rights).. xxxx
This song always makes me tear up !
May our Lord God Almighty have mercy on their souls. These men had faults, as WE ALL, AS HUMANS DO, but they wished peace and good for Humanity as a WHOLE. Never to be forgotten! 💞💞💞💞
Haven't heard this in years! Nice ☮️
Such a beautiful song.
This great song and another were combined with actual news bulletins and an innocent child's interview by a DJ Tom Clay. "What the World Needs Now / Abraham, Martin and John" makes me choke up every time I hear it. Now that you listened to this, check it out.
an.amazing and timeless masterpiece
A far cry from Dion's "The Wanderer" and "Runaround Sue." There's a heartbreaking cover of this song by Moms Mabley from 1969, a year after the original's release. She was an older comedienne who broke character and delivered this song in a very real, tear-jerking way. It got radio play and cracked the Top 40 making her at age 75 the oldest to do so up until then.
I lived through all of these and watched them pass on TV. It was so traumatic for my generation that we still feel it today.
your EYELIDS were dancin' to this one, & it brought me in . . . pull those moves!!
The good die young standing up for the right of others. We must keep fighting for the ones who are weaker than us and not let the self-interested win and again not all of us will make it stand together for all people who are different.
A perfect song for this holiday. I heard it on Sirius XM earlier today and thought how great it would be if you reacted. Thanks, Jay!
Powerful song with simple poignant lyrics a prime example that less is more.
One word, Amazing.
Dick Holler originally wrote the song... he shopped it around and Dion was the first to record it. Harry Belafonte did a nice version of this in 1970. I really like his version.
Such a beautiful song…perfect for MLK Day! ❤❤❤
Oh I love this song…on my short list of favourites…thanks
As long as their messages, their hope for America living up to it's ideals, their drive for progress isn't buried in the noise and rhetoric of those who oppose them for whatever reason....they live still in our hearts.
Just amazing ❤
This songs always makes me cry. Every single time.
Thank you for reacting to it.
What a flashback! The sadness that we felt in those days. Thanks for your reaction.
Marvin Gaye, with an orchestral arrangement by Norman Whitfield, also recorded a version in 1969 that became a top-ten hit (reaching number 9) in the United Kingdom in 1970 (Gaye's version was never released in the U.S. as a single but was featured on his 1970 album, That's the Way Love Is, and was one of his first experiments with social messages in his music which would culminate in his 1971 album, What's Going On.)
When I hear Dion Sing about Bobby, I lose it... this is one of the most impactful song ever made ... the events he sings about changed our world forever
🙏RIP MARTIN, BOBBY & JOHN🙏
This was written when Bobby Kennedy got killed. People who were around when this song came out can't generally listen to it without tears.
Beautiful song. I was a boy when i arrived in the states. This si g was playing on the radio my first day in NY. Stay strong young man.
Brother still waiting on Bon Jovi Wanted Dead or Alive!! Over 3 years now LOL😂
Thank you but made me cry to be honest but thankfull tears..💖😉
Perfect day for this!
I was a senior in HS when both were assassinated .. in JH when JFK assassinated .. all three still live in my heart
Love this song❤
Folk singer Phil Ochs (who you've reacted to before) wrote a song, "Too Many Martyrs," which focuses on the June 1963 assassination of another civil rights leader, Medgar Evers. Definitely worth a listen.
Sooo many assassinations in the 60s. This book has always made me tear up. Bobby Kennedy and MLK were assassinated within a couple of months of each other. I remember how awful it was. The whole country mourned. It was four great men.