This Old World Is Changing Hands Lyrics - Phil Ochs

Oh, a thousand marching armies and a million marching men 

Have won the wide world over and lost it back again, 

But now the word has gone to ev'ry fallen land, 

That this old world is changing hands. 

From the master to the servant, from the owner to the slave 

Colonial days are buried in a deep and dirty grave; 

It's so easy to see and well to understand 

That this old world is changing hands. 

Washington and jefferson and patrick henry too, 

They knew what they were doing when they started something new 

It was in this giant land of ours that it all began 

When this old land was changing hands. 

*chorus* 

And when world war two was rollin' by the tide was on it's way 

Many countries had to listen to the words they had to say 

And the word was spread by millions, all of yellow, black, and tan, 

That this old world is changing hands. 

*chorus* 

Now africa and asia and the carribean shore 

No longer can be counted as the spoils of war 

They were bought and sold together, now together they will stand, 

For this old world is changing hands. 

*chorus*