What Color (is A Man) Lyrics - Bobby Bare

(Marge Barton) 

One day a little boy climbed up on his daddy's knee 

With picture and crayons in his hand 

He said, "When I grow up this is a man I want to be. 

Daddy, what color is a man?" 

"When I'm a man I want to be happy 

I want to be strong and free 

I want to be brave like a soldier 

What crayon should I use to color me." 

--- Instrumental --- 

If you color him blue son he may not be a happy man 

If you color him red son someone may steal his land 

If you color him green or yellow he may be jealous and cowardly 

If you color him black son he may never be free. 

He told him, "Son put your crayons away 

And try your best to understand 

Man's never made of any color my boy 

Color never made any man, any man..."