Every man and every woman drops to earth on an angel’s wing
Ripe with love and soft with mercy, full of God’s own song to sing.
Then we learn our mother’s sorrow; then we learn our father’s fear.
Schools of rage and bleeding nations, and our angels disappear.

We all ride down the river of time, and it’s easy to see every sin and every crime,
But the hard thing, the wise thing, to try (oh, yes) is kindness, kindness, kindness.

You can sell your life’s possessions, you can give away your gold,
You can spend a bitter winter walking barefoot in the cold;
But if you still hate your brother, if you aim a pointed spear,
Then you’ll never hear your angel when he whispers in your ear.

We all ride down the river of time, and it’s easy to see every sin and every crime,
But the hard thing, the wise thing, to try (oh, yes) is kindness, kindness, kindness.
credits
from View from Violet Hill, released 01 January 2010
words and melody by Jamie Bernstein Thomas ©1990. Used by permission. – arr. Norah Long [ASCAP] ©2009 Violet Hill Music [ASCAP]. All rights reserved. – piano Michael Pearce Donley – hammond organ Billy Steele – background vocals Matt Patrick