Lyrks
Lyrks
Sign In
Cover Art

Barabbas Lyrics by David Olney

Through a Glass Darkly

0

[Verse 1]
Some work and slave for all of their days
And they'll do anything, whatever it pays
Some of us search and we find other ways
Me, I turned to thieving
A little bit here and a little bit there
Always some danger but I didn't care
As long as I felt I was getting my share
That's all I ever believed in

[Verse 2]
From the day I was born I understood
That one way or another I'd wind up no good
One night I got caught, always knew that I would
The charges were robbery and murder
I broke into a house for money and jewels
An old man tried to stop me, poor misguided fool
I killed him and left him in his own bloody pool
I ran but was caught by the soldiers

[Verse 3]
Well, they bound me and beat me and put me on trial
It was all cut and dried, it took a short while
"Have you anything to say?" I only smiled
And said, "Judge, let's get this over"
I was led from the courtroom and back to my cell
For a man 'bout to die I was taking it well
With no hope of heaven and no fear of hell
Just darkness and silence forever

[Bridge]
I awoke from a dream in the middle of the night
When the door burst open and in streamed the light
A man was thrown in, more dead than alive
On his face I could see the blood glisten
I could tell at a glance he'd been beat black and blue
He lay there unconscious but then he come to
I said, "Tell me, friend, what on earth did you do?"
He said, "I told them but they wouldn't listen"

[Verse 4]
"Told them what?" I asked, but he didn't speak again
He just lay there quiet in his blood and his pain
The morning broke, it was startin' to rain
And the guards come in and they got us
Out to the courtyard in the cool morning air
A crowd was waiting, but why were they there?
Two small-time losers, what did they care?
I'd have thought they'd already forgotten

[Verse 5]
Well, the next thing I heard was the governor's own voice
He raised up his hands and the mob ceased their noise
"According to custom I'm givin' you the choice
Which of these men should I pardon?"
Well, the mob went crazy and cried out my name
Shouting, "Give us Barabbas!" again and again
The governor sighed and said, "My hands are clean"
The mob shouted, "Give us Barabbas!"

[Bridge]
But what kind of freedom is this that is mine?
To spend all my days in search of a sign
To have my life saved and to never know why
To owe such a debt to a stranger

[Verse 6]
I will go with the wind to a far distant land
I will not cease my wandering 'til I understand
I'll tell everyone, every woman and man
Of the strange things I have beheld here
Of the strange things I have beheld here
Credits
David Olney

David Olney

About “Barabbas” by David Olney

Read the complete lyrics to "Barabbas" by David Olney from the album "Through a Glass Darkly". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.

"Barabbas" is performed by David Olney. from the album "Through a Glass Darkly" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Barabbas", explore more songs by David Olney using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for David Olney · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Barabbas" is credited to David Olney. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Barabbas" appears on "Through a Glass Darkly".

Visit the David Olney artist page at /artist/david-olney for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.

Chained and Bound to the Wheel
Barefootin’
Another Place, Another Time
Barabbas (2012)
Barrymore Remembers
1917
Avery County
Behind Your Smile
Lyrks
Lyrks

Your gateway to the world of music lyrics.

Product

Features

Company

About

Artists

Trending

Legal

Privacy

Terms

Copyright

Support

Contact

Features

Charts

© 2026 Lyrks. All rights reserved.