i m going to try to be that way once upon a time there lived a man many years ago in a foreign land knew how to live right tried to be a light gave everybody a helping hand i m going to try to be that way i m going to try to be that way do the kind of things a man oughta do say the kind of things a man oughta say i m going to try to be that way he never done anybody wrong he tried to help everybody along he brought a better land to make a better man out of the rich or the poor or the weak or the strong and he preached love and brotherhood he went around doing good doing good everywhere he went they knew that he was sent and the people started acting like they should