SAMSON AND DELILAH^©

a.k.a. IF I HAD MY WAY

Live 05 Oct 2006 version

If I had my way (if I had my way)
If I had my way (if I had my way)
If I had my way (if I had my way)
I'd tear this building down

Well Delilah, she was a woman who was fine and fair
Now she had good looks, God knows and coal black hair
Delilah, she came into Samson's mind
And the first he saw this woman, well she looked so fine
Now Delilah, she set down on Samson's knee
And said tell me where your strength lies (if you please)
She spoke so kind and she talked so fair
'Til Samson said "Delilah, you can cut off my hair
You can (shave my head), just as clean as my hand
My strength will come as natural as any man"

If I had my way (if I had my way)
If I had my way (if I had my way)
If I had my way (if I had my way)
I'd tear this building down

(Hoo-hoo) you read about old Samson (hoo-hoo) from his birth
(Hoo-hoo) that Samson was the strongest man that (hoo-hoo) lived on Earth
(Hoo-hoo) so one day while he was (hoo-hoo) walkin' along
Well he (hoo-hoo) looked on the ground and saw an (hoo-hoo) old jawbone
Now he (hoo-hoo) stretched out his arm! And it (hoo-hoo) broke like flint
(Hoo-hoo) when he got to movin' ten (hoo-hoo) thousand men was dead, well

If I had my way (if I had my way)
If I had my way (if I had my way)
If I had my way (if I had my way)
I'd tear this building down

Well old Samson and the lion now they got in an attack
And Samson he jumped up onto the lion's back
So you read about this lion killed a man with his paws
But Samson got his hand in the lion's jaws
And he (rode that beast) until he (killed him dead)
As the bees made honey in the lion's head

Woo-hoooo
If I had my way (if I had my way)
If I had my way (if I had my way)
If I had my way! (if I had my way)
I'd tear this building down

Hoo-hoo
Hoo-hoo
If I had my way (if I had my way)
If I had my way now (if I had my way)
If I had my way (if I had my way)
I swear I'd tear this building down

Hey now!
If I had my way (if I had my way)

Bruce Springsteen and The Seeger Sessions band performed this traditional song live only once, on 05 Oct 2006 at Arena Di Verona, Verona, Italy, during The Seeger Sessions tour. It was played with just the stand-up bass and percussion. The soundboard recording for the first 8 songs from that show (including SAMSON AND DELILAH) were radio broadcated on 13 Oct 2006 on Italy's Rai Radio 1.

The song was first repoted to be rehearsed with the Seeger Sessions band on 19 and 20 Sep 2006 at the Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ, during the fall 2006 European leg private rehearsals.

The above lyrics refer to Bruce's live 05 Oct 2006 performance at Arena Di Verona, Verona, Italy. This song was recorded by many artists throughout the century under several different titles, and with many lyrics variations. Bruce's rendition of the song is mostly close to Reverend Gary Davis' version. Check it out for detlaied info about the song's history.