John Adams (A Life) Lyrics

On the Adam's farm in Braintree

Little John was born

October 19, 1735, on a Sunday morn

At 16, he entered Harvard

Then, he studied law

He strived to be a great man, this, the best way that he saw

In '59, John met Abigail. Thought she was immature

Fondness grew, then they were wed in the fall of '64

Six children came, 'Nabbie' first, following her, John Quincy

Who would become famous, too, in the Presidency

His office was in Boston. There, the Massacre occurred

Of the soldiers John defended, six cleared from his words

He loathed injustice by the British, taking a firm stance

Pushed adoption of the Declaration of Independence

Chorus

John Adams was the second president of our nation

He moved America ahead through determination

In '89, Washington was Prez, and Adams, the VP

John was loyal to George's plans, though bored with few duties

The election for the 2nd prez took place in '96,

John won, but a riff with Jefferson grew that many years could not fix

Adams struggled with France in what became the Quasi-War

The US Navy got involved, then, a treaty closed the door

John retired from public life to his farm, where he'd preside

In '12, he and Tom began to write, and stopped the day they died

On July 4, 1826, 50 years after Independence

John, 90, died quietly in bed at his Quincy residence

John Adams, proud and headstrong. So our history says

He steered the country to greater good as lawyer, founder, prez