Lyrics · Genesis
One Tongue, One Tower
Genesis 11:1-9
Lyrics
About this song
About this song
This song belongs to the Genesis collection. 8 recordings are available to play here, with the complete lyrics below.
- Bible book
- Genesis
- Collection
- Genesis
[Hook - clipped]
One tongue.
One plain.
One city.
One name.
Brick upon brick,
Higher and higher;
Man built a heaven
And kindled his pride.
[Verse 1]
They journeyed eastward and settled the land,
Burned their own stone and strengthened their hand.
"Let us make us a name," was the word they agreed,
Lest they be scattered like wind-driven seed.
No altar of thanks, no humble refrain,
Only a tower to master the plain.
[Call and Response]
Who gave the breath? (The Lord above.)
Who made the nations? (The God of love.)
Who saw the tower? (The Lord came down.)
Who broke the speech? (The pride of the town.)
[Verse 2]
Neighbor heard neighbor, but meaning was gone;
Orders were spoken and answered all wrong.
Hands lost rhythm, the building grew still,
Dust crossed the bricks on the unfinished hill.
Scattered abroad, they abandoned the frame;
Babel remembered the fracture of name.
[Final Hook]
Many tongues.
Many roads.
One proud city
Could not bear the load.
Brick upon brick,
Silence and sand;
Heaven was never
The work of man's hand.

