Abraham, Martin and John

"Abraham, Martin and John"
Side A of US single
Single by Dion
from the album Dion
B-side"Daddy Rollin' (In Your Arms)"
ReleasedAugust 1968
RecordedAllegro Sound Studios; Engineer Bruce Staple
GenreFolk rock
Length3:15
LabelLaurie
Songwriter(s)Dick Holler
Producer(s)Phil Gernhard
Dion singles chronology
"Two Ton Feather"
(1966) 		"Abraham, Martin and John"
(1968) 		"Purple Haze"
(1968)

Abraham, Martin and John is a 1968 song written by Dick Holler. It was first recorded by Dion, in a version that was a substantial North American chart hit in 1968–1969. Near-simultaneous cover versions by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and Moms Mabley also charted in the U.S. in 1969, and a version that same year by Marvin Gaye became the hit version in the UK. It was also a hit as part of a medley (with "What the World Needs Now Is Love") for Tom Clay in 1971, and has subsequently been recorded by many other artists. Holler was particularly impressed that Bob Dylan covered the song.[1]

The song itself is a tribute to the memory of four assassinated Americans, all icons of social change: Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy. It was written in response to the assassination of King and that of Robert Kennedy in April and June 1968, respectively.[2]

Lyrics

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Each of the first three verses features one of the men named in the song's title, for example:

Anybody here seen my old friend Abraham?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lot of people, but it seems the good, they die young;
I just looked around and he was gone.

After a bridge, the fourth and final verse mentions "Bobby" (referencing Robert F. Kennedy), and ends with a description of him "walking over the hill" with the other three men.

Certifications

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Certifications for "Abraham, Martin and John"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[3] Gold 1,000,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Paulson, Dave (September 11, 2020). "Story Behind the Song: 'Abraham, Martin and John'". The Tennessean. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  2. ↑ "How Robert Kennedy Inspired 'Abraham, Martin and John'". The New York Times Company. June 5, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  3. ↑ "American single certifications – Dion – Abraham". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 4, 2024.

Further reading

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  • Collins, Ace. Songs Sung, Red, White, and Blue: The Stories Behind America's Best-Loved Patriotic Songs. HarperResource, 2003. ISBN 0060513047
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