don t you know it s darkest before the dawn and it s this thought keeps me moving on if we could heed these early warnings the time is now quite early morning if we could heed these early warnings the time is now quite early morning some say that humankind won t long endure but what makes them so doggone sure i know that you who hear my singing could make those freedom bells go ringing i know that you who hear my singing could make those freedom bells go ringing and so keep on while we live until we have no no more to give and when these fingers can strum no longer hand the old banjo to young ones stronger and when these fingers can strum no longer hand the old banjo to young ones stronger so though it s darkest before the dawn these thoughts keep us moving on through all this world of joy and sorrow we still can have singing tomorrows through all this world of joy and sorrow we still can have singing tomorrows