Listen to or download the song.

Play this on the jukebox and listen to a lot of other versions too.
You can also download all the different musical versions, in the order they went up.

Check Eric’s website, Instagram and Facebook page for more info.

From Janis: I can’t remember the first time I met Eric; I do know that my parents were huge fans of Leon Bibb, Eric’s father, so it was a double joy when we all three met up at the Vancouver Folk Festival years ago. I had a wonderful time at the Bluebird Cafe with Eric and Danny Flowers, but hadn’t been in touch much since he moved to Sweden. Still, when I asked for help, he and his wife Ulrika came running – or rather, recording. At the end of his video, he says some lovely things about the song and my work. It literally brought me to tears.

About that banjo, from Eric himself: “I’ve played it on an old Vega six-string banjo, which I bought years ago at Umanov’s down on Bleecker street. Mattie told me it might have once belonged to Rev. Davis, who used to borrow your big Martin, I’m told.” (And yes, Rev. Gary Davis did indeed love to play on my big Martin D-18.)

BETTER TIMES WILL COME
(Janis Ian)

Better times, better times will come.
Better times, better times will come.
When this world learns to live as one,
oh, better times will come

When we greet each dawn without fear
knowing loved ones soon will be near
When the winds of war
cannot blow any more
Oh, better times will come

CHORUS

Though we live each day as our last
we know someday soon it will pass
We will dance, we will sing
in that never-ending spring
Oh, better times will come

CHORUS

Words & music by Janis Ian; © 2020 Janis Ian. All rights reserved; used by permission.