Verse Once upon a time there lived a man  Hmm Hmm Many years ago in a foreign land He knew how to live right tried to be a light Gave everybody a helping hand I’m gonna try to be that way Hmm Hmm I’m gonna try to be that way Do the kind of things Lord a man oughta do Say the kind of things a man oughta say I’m gonna try to be that way Verse He never done anybody wrong He tried to help everybody ’long 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 doin’ good doin’ good Everywhere he went they knew that he was sent And the people started actin’ like they should I’m gonna try to be that way Hmm Hmm I’m gonna try to be that way Do the kind of things Lord a man oughta do Say the kind of things a man oughta say I’m gonna try to be that way