Ol' William in school
Readin' a Bible, we laughed till we was blue
Ol' William said a prayer at noon
Over his lunch and we hit him with a spoon

Yes, William, the kids were cruel
But, I saw something different in you
The impression you made put the seed in me
That began to grow when I first believed

Ol' William on the street
Hymn singin', testifyin', and they called him "preacher"
I was there when they put him down
But I want to say that I've come around

Yes, William, the kids were cruel
But, I saw something different in you
The impression you made put the seed in me
That began to grow when I first believed

Now, William, ain't it strange
After all these years
I'm doing the very same things
I laughed about way back there
And the example you set
Causes me to want to be
The same kind of livin' testimony

Oh, William, I wish you were here
I'd apologize for callin' you weird
But I'm sure you forgave me even then
So I love you William, like my best friend

Yes, William, the kids were cruel
But, I saw something different in you
The impression you made put the seed in me
That began to grow when I first believed