Well, it was battered and scared And the auctioneer felt it was hardly worth his while To waste much time on the old violin But he held it up with a smile "Well, it sure ain't much but its all we got left I guess we aught to sell it to Oh, now who'll start the bid on this old violin? Just one more and we'll be through" And then he cried: "One give me one dollar, who'll make it two Only two dollars who'll make it three Three dollars twice now that's a good price Now who's gonna bid for me? Raise up your hand now don't wait any longer The auction's about to end Who's got four, just one dollar more To bid on this old violin?" Well, the air was hot and the people stood around As the sun was setting low From the back of the crowd. a gray-haired man Came forward and picked up the bow He wiped the dust from the old violin Then he tightened up the strings, ooh... And then he played out a melody pure and sweet Sweeter than the Angels sing And then the music stopped and the auctioneer With a voice that was quiet and low He said, "Now what am I bid for this old violin?" And he held it up with a bow And then he cried out: "One give me one thousand, who'll make it two? Only two thousand who'll make it three? Three thousand twice, you know, that's a good price Come on, who's gonna to bid for me?" And the people cried out "What made the change We don't understand" Then the auctioneer stopped, and he said with a smile "It was the touch of the Master's hand" You know, there's many a man with his life out of tune Battered and scared with sin And he's auctioned cheap to a thankless world Much like that old violin Oh, but then the Master comes and that old foolish crowd They never understand, no The worth of a soul and the change that is brought Just by one touch of the Masters hand And then he cried out: "One give me one thousand, who'll make it two? Only two thousand who'll make it three? Three thousand twice, you know, that's a good price Come on, who's gonna bid for me?" And the people cried out, "What made the change We don't understand" Then the auctioneer stopped, and he said with a smile "It was the touch, that's all it was It was the touch of the Master's hand It was the touch of the Master's hand Oh, it was the touch of the Master's hand"