Lyrics
Well, it was battered and scared
And the auctioneer felt it was hardly worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin, but he held it up with a smile
Well it sure ain't much, but it's all we got left, I guess we ought to sell it to
Oh, now who'll start the bid on this old violin?
Just one more and we'll be through
And then he cried one give me one dollar
Who'll make it two only two dollars who'll make it three
Three dollars twice now that's a good price
Now who's gonna bid for me?
Raise up your hand now don't wait any longer, the auctions about to end
Who's got four, just one dollar more to bid on this old violin?
Well, the air was hot, and the people stood around as the sun was setting low
From the back of the crowd, a gray haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow
He wiped the dust from the old violin, then he tightened up the strings (ooh)
And then he played out a melody pure and sweet, sweeter than the angels sing
And then the music stopped and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low he said, "Now what am I bid
For this old violin and he held it up with a bow"
And then he cried out one, give me one thousand
Who'll make it two, only two thousand, who'll make it three
Three thousand twice you know that's a good price
Common, who's gonna to bid for me?
And the people cried out what made the change, we don't understand
Then the auctioneer stopped and he said with a smile
"It was the touch of the master's hand"
You know there's many a man with his life out of tune
Battered and scared with sin and he's auctioned cheap
To a thankless world much like that old violin
Oh, but then the master comes
And that old foolish crowd they never understand (never understand, oh)
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrath
Just by one touch of the master's hand
And then he cried out one, give me one thousand
Who'll make it two, only two thousand, who'll make it three?
Three thousand twice you know that's a good price
Common, who's gonna bid for me?
And the people cried out what made the change we don't understand
Then the auctioneer stopped and he said with a smile
"It was the touch, that's all it was, it was the touch of the master's hand"
"It was the touch of the master's hand, oh, it was the touch of the master's hand"