There's a man in the corner and his clothes are worn
And he's holding out his hand
You could see in his eyes as the people walk by
He knows they don't understand

Ya see they just think he's gonna take their money
And go and spend it on dope
Then a man stopped by and I saw a smile inside him
As he gently whispered hope

Well the tramp started to cry, just kept saying,
"Why? why? why?
Could you see I'm a down an' out
Well I'm 32 and I've got this one pair of shoes
And a bad taste in my mouth
I think it's clear to see that even God don't love me
Or else why would He leave me this way."

Then Gabriel just smiled and said be peaced my child
Salvation is here today

He got up to his feet and he sang Hallelujah
People were turning around in the street
He looked them in the eyes and he sang,
"Hallelujah
There's someone here that you gotta meet
Someone you just gotta meet."

When the vagabond turned around well without a sound
Gabriel just smiled and disappeared
When he looked to the crowd and they were laughing out loud
But he could not see them for tears
When his vision came round
There was a young girl on the ground
I knew she was findin' it hard to cope
She never was a fighter until he lay beside her
And gently whispered hope

They got up to their feet and they sang Hallelujah
People in the street were turning around
They looked them in the eyes and they sang,
"Hallelujah
There's someone here we have found"
They sang,
"Hallelujah, Hallelujah
We are the voices crying in the wilderness
Hallelujah, Hallelujah."
The people in the street started their sins to confess
And a chorus of,
"Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Every knee will bow and every tongue confess
and the voice of one crying in the wilderness
crying
Hallelujah, Hallelujah"


Lyrics submitted by New Year's Project, edited by kellymac23

Gabriel And The Vagabond Lyrics as written by Foy Vance

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Gabriel and the Vagabond song meanings
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6 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    When I first heard this song I knew that Gabriel had to refer to the archangel Gabriel. So, being curious I went to Wikipedia and looking him up. Lo and behold, they including a good explanation of this song in the article:

    "In 2006, British singer/songwriter Foy Vance recorded the song 'Gabriel and the Vagabond', and the single was featured on the Grey's Anatomy episode 'Superstition'. The song tells the tale of the angel helping a begger, who in turns helps others, inspiring a town of people and causing them to repent."

    deej5871on June 12, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Sugar. It's too sweet. So hopeful. Something to dream away. Maybe a little overdone, but really, nah... just sweet.

    tagtraeumerinon June 21, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    There's a lot of inspiration in this song. Makes you want to just try a little harder really...

    finallyfreeon December 22, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i feel that this song really is just speaking the raw truth.....we all feel the same...we walk by a homeless person and think that its their own fault that they're homeless and we don't want to help them out because we dont want to be feeding their drug habit...well thats what we seem to think they will spend their money on....we dont even give people a chance anymore we seem to believe more in stereotypes than we do in the people......this song tells us all of this and it also tells us about one man who didnt believe in this stereotype and decided he was going to help...Then a man stopped by and I saw a smile inside him As he gently whispered hope......i think that the archangel gabriel in the song represents a strenght in all of us to stand and do something nice and to help others and give other people solace....Then Gabriel just smiled and said be peaced my child Salvation is here today...When the vagabond turned around well without a sign Gabriel just smiled and disappeared....he didnt even have to do much ...he just had to smile and it made someone feel better !!!!

    musicmaniacxxxon March 23, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I saw this performed live with the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast, it was outstanding. It is dangerously close to being overdone and a bit cheesy, but it isn't! A very brave song as it could have considered cheesy. As you say musicmaniacxxx it reminds you people instead of stereotypes. The portrayal of the tramp, kicking out in frustration, in the video is also excellent. Check it out

    niall1982on December 04, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Beautiful song about hope and the role we can all serve in helping those in need - no one is unredeemable or beyond hope. Even more so, the broken, the meek, or the poor are often the ones whom God uses to do his work- whom he shows his love to more openly.

    In the Bible, Gabriel is God’s archangel.

    The Vagabond who receives hope from Gabriel begins to praise God and call to other people in the street: “there’s someone here you gotta meet.” While Gabriel is gone, the person whom the public needs to meet is Jesus, the savior of the world sent to reconcile our sin and get us closer to God- to a world where there will be no poverty or addiction or hopelessness.

    In the bridge of the song The Vagabond and the young girl, say “we are the voice of one crying in the wilderness.” This is a quote from Isaiah and again in Matthew 3:3 where John the Baptist is described as “the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”

    John the Baptist was misunderstood by many, just like the Vagabond and the girl. But he preached of the coming of Jesus and gave hope to many, similar to what the characters do in this song.

    Truly a beautiful song about victory and hope for the (seemingly) hopeless. An epic depiction of the power of the Gospel.

    StayFree95on November 05, 2023   Link

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