by Bob Franke

The song of Gypsy Davy rang delighted through the night.
The wise & foolish virgin kept her candles burning bright.
Rise up my young & foolish one & follow if you can,
There’ll be no need for candles in the arms of such a man.

Make love to each other, be free with each other.
Be prisoners of love ’til you lie in the sod.
Be friends to each other, forgive one another.
See God in each other. Be beggars to God.

The night was cold & dark & wet as they wandered on alone.
The sky became their canopy, the earth became their throne.
And as their raiment ran to rags they thought it nothing wrong
For earth & sky are robe enough when you sing the gypsies’ song.

They sang & played the gypsy song wherever they were sent.
To some it seemed a dancing tune, to some a sad lament.
But in every heart that heard them true a tear became a smile
And the pauper or a prince became the gypsy for a while.


Lyrics & music by Bob Franke © 1983 Telephone Pole Music Publishing Co. (BMI).

Franke reinterprets the original message of Matthew 25:1-13 

Songpage in the Music Box 

The song can be found on page 84 in the songbook Rise Up Singing.