Abraham, Martin and John

"Abraham, Martin and John"
Side A of US single
Single by Dion
from the album Dion
B-side	"Daddy Rollin' (In Your Arms)"
Released	August 1968
Recorded	Allegro Sound Studios; Engineer Bruce Staple
Genre	Folk rock
Length	3:15
Label	Laurie
Songwriter(s)	Dick Holler
Producer(s)	Phil Gernhard
Dion singles chronology
"Two Ton Feather" (1966) "Abraham, Martin and John" (1968) "Purple Haze" (1968)

"Abraham, Martin and John" is a 1968 song written by Dick Holler. It was first recorded by Dion, in a version that was a substantial North American chart hit in 1968–1969. Near-simultaneous cover versions by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and Moms Mabley also charted in the U.S. in 1969, and a version that same year by Marvin Gaye became the hit version in the UK. It was also a hit as part of a medley (with "What the World Needs Now Is Love") for Tom Clay in 1971, and has subsequently been recorded by many other artists. Holler was particularly impressed that Bob Dylan covered the song.^[1]

The song itself is a tribute to the memory of four assassinated Americans, all icons of social change: Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy. It was written in response to the assassination of King and that of Robert Kennedy in April and June 1968, respectively.^[2]