Been a slave most all my life
So's my kids, and so's my wife
I've been working on the Colonel's farm
Ain't been mistreated, ain't done no harm
I'll be a slave to my grave
No need of me being free
Recollect when I was just fourteen
Freedom used to be my biggest dream
I'm older now, lot wiser too
If I was free what would I do
The Colonel's been right good to me
He's taken care of my family
The Colonel rode the buggy in from town
Hitched the horse and called us all around
Said he couldn't keep us here no more
I saw a tear as he walked toward the door
Oh Dear God, what did he say?
I wonder as I wander out under the sky
How Jesus the Saviour did come for to die
For poor on'ry people like you and like I;
I wonder as I wander...
out under the sky
When Mary birthed Jesus 'twas in a cow's stall
With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all
But high from God's heaven, a star's light did fall
And the promise of ages...
it then did recall.
Oooohhh...
If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing
A star in the sky, or a bird on the wing
Or all of God's Angels in heaven for to sing
He surely could have seen it...
'cause he was the King
I wonder as I wander out under the sky
How Jesus the Saviour did come for to die
For poor on'ry people like you and like I;
I wonder as I wander...
Seven Bridges Road
There are stars
In the Southern sky
Southward as you go
There is moonlight
And moss in the trees
Down the Seven Bridges Road
Now I have loved you like a baby
Like some lonesome child
And I have loved you in a tame way
And I have loved you wild
Sometimes there's a part of me
Has to turn form here and go
Running like a child from these warm stars
Down the Seven Bridges Road
There are stars in the Southern sky
And if ever you decide
You should go
There is a taste of time sweetened honey
The longest train I ever did see
Hundred coaches long
Only boy I ever loved
Is on that train and gone
On that train and gone
On that train and gone
Only boy I ever loved
Is on that train and gone
Who's gonna shoe your pretty little foot?
Who's gonna glove your hand?
Who's gonna kiss your red ruby lips
And who's gonna be your man?
Who's gonna be your man?
Who's gonna be your man?
Who's gonna kiss your red ruby lips
And who's gonna be your man?
Papa will shoe my pretty little foot
Mama will glove my hand
Sister will kiss my red ruby lips
And I don't need no man
I don't need no man
I don't need no man
Sister will kiss my red ruby lips
And I don't need no man
Sister will kiss my red ruby lips
As I walked over the London bridge
One misty morning early,
I overheard a fair pretty maid
Was lamenting for her Geordie.
Oh, my Geordie will be hanged in a golden chain,
'Tis not the chain of many
He was born on king's royal breed
And lost to a virtuous lady.
Go bridle me my milk white steed,
Go bridle me my poney,
I will ride to London court
To plead for the life of Geordie.
Ah, my Geordie never stole nor cow nor calf,
He never hurted any,
Stole sixteen of the king's royal deer,
And he sold them in Bohenny.
Two pretty babies have I born,
The third lies in my body,
I'd freely part with them every one
If you'd spare the life of Geordie.
The judge looked over his left shoulder,
He said fair maid I'm sorry
He said fair maid you must be brave
For I cannot pardon Geordie.
Oh, my Geordie will be hanged in a golden chain,
'Tis not the chain of many,
Stole sixteen of king's royal deer
Llegó con tres heridas:
la del amor,
la de la muerte,
la de la vida.
Con tres heridas viene:
la de la vida,
la del amor,
la de la muerte
Con tres heridas yo:
la de la vida,
la de la muerte,
la del amor.
Llegó con tres heridas:
la del amor,
la de la muerte,
la de la vida.
Con tres heridas viene:
la de la vida,
la del amor,
la de la muerte.
Con tres heridas yo:
la de la vida,
la de la muerte,
I never thought you were
The letter writing type
So now, I see the words you chose
And the way you write
So, I started to write back
About the trees in the snow
And I saw a bird, couldn't say what it was
But I thought you would know
You always surprised me
And if I wrote you, if I wrote you
You would know me
And you would not write me again
And when the spring came
And flooded all the streams
It's like how you got the night
You told me all you dreams
And when the barn roof sagged after an icy bout
It's like how you shrugged when you knew
The truth was the only way out
But not the only way
And if I wrote you, if I wrote you
You would know me
And you would not write me again
We drew our arms
Around the bastard sons
And we never would drink
To the chosen ones
You know the way I left
Was not the way I planned
But I thought the world needed love
And a steady hand
So, I'm steady now
And I'm so happy
I had to tell you and I love you
You will not write me again
If today was not an endless highway
If tonight was not an endless trail
If tomorrow wasn't such a long time
Then lonesome would mean nothing to me at all
Yes and only if my own true love was waiting
If I could hear her heart softly pounding
If only she was lying by me
Then I'd lie in my bed once again
I can't see my reflection in the water
I can't speak the sounds that show no pain
I can't hear the echo of my footsteps
I can't remember the sound of my own name
Yes and only if my own true love was waiting
If I could hear her heart softly pounding
If only she was lying by me
Then I'd lie in my bed once again
There's beauty in the silver singing river
There's beauty in the sunrise in the sky
But none of these and nothing else could match the beauty
That I remember in my true love's eyes
Yes and only if my own true love was waiting
If I could hear her heart softly pounding
If only she was lying by me
Then I'd lie in my bed once again
If today was not an endless highway
If tonight was not an endless trail
If tomorrow wasn't such a long time
Then lonesome would mean nothing to me at all
Yes and only if my own true love was waiting
If I could hear her heart softly pounding
If only she was lying by me
Wildwood Flower (traditional)
As recorded by The Carter Family
Written by A. P. Carter
Key of E
[Maybelle puts a capo on the 4th fret
and plays as if in the key of C using
the following chords]:
[C] Oh, I'll twine with my mingles
And [G] waving black [C] hair
With the roses so red
And the [G] lilies so [C] fair;
And the myrtle so [C7] bright
With the [F] emerald [C] dew
The pale and the leader
And [G7] eyes look like [C] blue.
Instrumental
Oh I'll dance, I will sing
And my life shall be gay.
I will charm every heart,
In his crown I will sway.
When I woke from my dreaming,
My idols was clay
All portions of love had all flown away.
Instrumental
Oh he taught me to love him
And promised to love
And to cherish me over
All others above.
How my heart is now wond'ring
No misery can tell.
He's left me no warning,
No words of farewell.
Instrumental
Oh, he taught me to love him
And called me his flower
That was blooming to cheer him
Through life's dreary hour.
Oh, I long to see him
And regret the dark hour
He's gone and neglected
I threw your keys in the water, I looked back
They'd frozen half way down in the ice
They froze up so quickly, the keys and their owners
Even after the anger, it all turned silent and
The everyday turned solitary
So we came to February
First we forgot where we'd planted those bulbs last year
Then we forgot that we'd planted at all
Then we forgot what plants are altogether
And I blamed you for my freezing and forgetting and
The nights were long and cold and scary
Can we live through February?
You know I think Christmas was a long red glare
Shot up like a warning, we gave presents without cards
And then the snow
And then the snow came, we were always out shoveling
And we'd drop to sleep exhausted
Then we'd wake up, and it's snowing
And February was so long that it lasted into March
And found us walking a path alone together
You stopped and pointed and you said, "That's a crocus"
And I said "What's a crocus?" and you said "It's a flower"
I tried to remember but I said "What's a flower?"
You said "I still love you"
The leaves were turning as we drove to the hardware store
My new lover made me keys to the house
And when we got home, well we just started chopping wood
Because you never know how the next will be
And we'll gather all our arms can carry
(S. M. Lewis, J. F. Coots)
For all we know we may never meet again
Before you go make this moment sweet again
We wont say good night until the last minute
Ill hold out my hand and my heart will be in it
For all we know this may only be a dream
We come and go like a ripple on a stream
So love me tonight; tomorrow was made for some
Tomorrow may never come for all we know
So love me tonight; tomorrow was made for some
Come they told me parapapampam
A new born king to see parapapampam
Our finest gifts we bring parapapampam
To lay before the king parapapampam
Rapapampam, rapapampam
So to honour him parapapampam
When we come
Little baby parapapampam
I am a poor boy too parapapampam
I have no gift to bring parapapampam
That's fit to give a king parapapampam
Rapapampam, rapapampam
Shall I play for you parapapampam
On my drum?
Mary nodded parapapampam
The ox and lamb kept time parapapampam
I played my drum for Him parapapampam
I played my best for Him parapapampam
Rapapampam, rapapampam
Then He smiled at me parapapampam
Me and my drum
Once I had sweetheart, and now I have none,
Once I had sweetheart, and now I have none,
She's gone and leave me, she's gone and leave me,
She's gone and leave me to sorrow and moan.
Last night in sweet slumber I dreamed I did see,
Last night in sweet slumber I dreamed I did see,
My own precious jewel sat smiling by me,
My own precious jewel sat smiling by me.
And when I awakened I found it not so,
And when I awakened I found it not so,
My eyes like some fountain with tears overflow,
My eyes like some fountain with tears overflow.
I'll venture through England, through France and through Spain,
I'll venture through England, through France and through Spain,
All my life I will venture the watery main,
All my life I will venture the watery main.
Once I sweetheart, and now I have none,
Once I sweetheart, and now I have none,
She's gone and leave me, she's gone and leave me,
Get you a copper kettle
And get you a copper coil
Cover with new cut corn mash
And never more you'll toil
Chorus:
You just lay there by the juniper
While the moon is high
And watch them jugs a-fillin
In the pale moonlight
Build your fires of hickory
Hickory or ash or oak
Don't use no green or rotten wood
They'll catch you by the smoke
(Chorus)
My daddy he made whiskey
My granddaddy did too
We ain't paid no whiskey tax
Since Seventeen Ninety Two
I never thought you were
The letter writing type
So now, I see the words you chose
And the way you write
So, I started to write back
About the trees in the snow
And I saw a bird, couldn't say what it was
But I thought you would know
You always surprised me
And if I wrote you, if I wrote you
You would know me
And you would not write me again
And when the spring came
And flooded all the streams
It's like how you got the night
You told me all you dreams
And when the barn roof sagged after an icy bout
It's like how you shrugged when you knew
The truth was the only way out
But not the only way
And if I wrote you, if I wrote you
You would know me
And you would not write me again
We drew our arms
Around the bastard sons
And we never would drink
To the chosen ones
You know the way I left
Was not the way I planned
But I thought the world needed love
And a steady hand
So, I'm steady now
And I'm so happy
I had to tell you and I love you
You will not write me again
Once Mary would go wandering,
through all the land would run
That she might find her Son
that she might find her Son.
Who met she as she journeyed forth?
St. Peter that good man,
who sadly did her scan
who sadly did her scan.
O tell me have you seen Him yet
the one I love?
God's son whom I have lost
the Son whom I have lost.
To well, to well I have seen that Son,
t'was by a palace gate
most grievous was His state,
most grievous was His state.
O say, what wore He on His head?
a crown of thorns He wore;
a cross He also bore,
a cross He also bore.
Once Mary would go wandering,
through all the land would run
That she might find her Son
Why all these bugles cry
These squads of young men drill
To kill and to be killed
Stood waiting by the train
Why the orders loud and hoarse
Why the engine's groaning cough
As it strains to drag us all
Into the holocaust
Why crowds who sing and cry
And shout and fling us flowers
And trade their rights for ours
To murder and to die
CHORUS
The dove has torn her wing(s?)
So no more songs of love
We are not here to sing
We're here to kill the dove
Why must this moment come
When childhood has to die
When hope shrinks to a sigh
And speech into a drum
Why are they pale and still
Young boys trained over night
Concripts payed to kill
And dressed in gray to fight
These rainclouds massing tight
This train load battle bound
This moving burial ground
Goes thundering to the night
CHORUS
Why statues towering grave
Above the last defeat
Old words and lies repeat
Across a new made grave
And why the same still birds
That victory always brought
These hours of glory bought
By men with mounds of earth
Dead ash without a spark
Where cities used to be
Where guns probe every spark
And crush it into dust
CHORUS
And while your face undone
With jagged lines of tears
That gave in those first years
All the peace I'd ever want
Your body in the gloom
The platform fading back
Your shadow on the track
A flower upon a tomb
And why these days ahead
When I must let you cry
And live prepared to die
And to...
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born
I am a wanderer, feet on the ground
Heart on my sleeve and my head in the clouds
I own the star above some distant shore
Wandering ever more
I am a refugee torn from my land
Cast off to travel this world to its end
Never to see my proud mountains again
But I still remember them
I am a laborer, sign round my neck
Will work for dignity, trust and respect
Stand on this corner so you don't forget
I haven't had mine yet
I am a prisoner pacing my cell
Three steps and back, my corner of hell
Lock me away and you swallow the key
But some day I shall be free
And I'll be a wanderer, feet on the ground
Heart on my sleeve and my head in the clouds
I own the star above some distant shore
words and music by Pete Seeger
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the flowers gone?
Girls have picked them every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?
Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the young girls gone?
Taken husbands every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?
Where have all the young men gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young men gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the young men gone?
Gone for soldiers every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Gone to graveyards every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Covered with flowers every one
When will we ever learn?
Away in a manger
No crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus
Lay down His sweet head
The stars in the Heavens
Look down where lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay
The cattle are lowing
The baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying he makes
I love thee Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle
Brother do you love me and do you want to live?
Sister it may break my heart; yes I want to live
But I've got tears in eyes
Let no one see me cry
I've got an aching in my soul, that no one will ever know
Look there look at the tree it'll answer you and me
One look at the sky and it can tell you why
We got tears in our eyes
Let no one see us cry.
Got an aching in our souls.
That no one will ever know.
Well if this world should end today, was it worth the while?
I hope that it lasts for a long time more
Yes it's worth the while,
But we got tears in our eyes,
Let no one see us cry.
Got an aching in our souls.
That no one will ever know.
Old Reilly stole a stallion
They caught him and they brought him back
And they laid him down on the jail house ground
With an iron chain around his neck
When Reilly's daughter got a message
That her father was goin' to hang
She rode by night and came by morning
With gold and silver in her hand
Then when the judge saw Reilly's daughter
His old eyes deepened in his head
He said, "Gold will never free your father
Know the price, my dear, is you instead"
"Well, I'm as good as dead," cried Reilly
"It's only you that he does crave
And my skin will surely crawl if he touches you at all
So get on your horse and ride away"
"Oh father you will surely die
If I do not take a chance to try
And pay the price and not take your advice
For this reason I'll have to stay"
Well, the gallows shadows shook the evening
And in the night a hound dog bayed
In the night the grounds was groanin'
And in the night, the price was paid
The next mornin' she had awoken
To find that the judge had never spoken
She saw the hangin' branch a-bendin'
And she saw her father's body broken
Seven curses on a judge so cruel
One doctor cannot cure him
Two healers cannot heal him
And three eyes cannot see him
Four ears cannot hear him
Five walls cannot hide him
Six beggars cannot steal him
Llegó con tres heridas:
la del amor,
la de la muerte,
la de la vida.
Con tres heridas viene:
la de la vida,
la del amor,
la de la muerte
Con tres heridas yo:
la de la vida,
la de la muerte,
la del amor.
Llegó con tres heridas:
la del amor,
la de la muerte,
la de la vida.
Con tres heridas viene:
la de la vida,
la del amor,
la de la muerte.
Con tres heridas yo:
la de la vida,
la de la muerte,
It ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
It don't matter, anyhow
An' it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
If you don't know by now
When your rooster crows at the break of dawn
Look out your window and I'll be gone
You're the reason I'm trav'lin' on
Don't think twice, it's all right
It ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
That light I never knowed
An' it ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
I'm on the dark side of the road
Still I wish there was somethin' you would do or say
To try and make me change my mind and stay
We never did too much talkin' anyway
So don't think twice, it's all right
It ain't no use in callin' out my name, gal
Like you never did before
It ain't no use in callin' out my name, gal
I can't hear you any more
I'm a-thinkin' and a-wond'rin' all the way down the road
I once loved a woman, a child I'm told
I give her my heart but she wanted my soul
But don't think twice, it's all right
I'm walkin' down that long, lonesome road, babe
Where I'm bound, I can't tell
But goodbye's too good a word, gal
So I'll just say fare thee well
I ain't sayin' you treated me unkind
You could have done better but I don't mind
You just kinda wasted my precious time
She was a lass from the low country
And he was a lord of high degree
And she loved his lordship so tenderly
Sing sorrow, sing sorrow
And she sleeps in the valley
Where the wildflowers nod
Nobody knows she loved him
But herself and God
One day when the show was on the mead
He passed her by on a milk white steed
She waited as he passed but he paid no heed
Sing sorrow, sing sorrow
And she sleeps in the valley
Where the wildflowers nod
Nobody knows she loved him
But herself and God
So if you be a lass from the low country
Don't love no lord of high degree
For they ain't got no heart or sympathy
Sing sorrow, sing sorrow
And you sleep in the valley
Where the wildflowers nod
Nobody knows you loved him
Well, it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
If you don't know by now
It ain't no use to sit and wonder why
It don't matter anyhow
When your rooster crows at the break of dawn
Look out your window and I'll be gone
You're the reason I'm travelin' on
But don't think twice, it's all right
And it ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
That light I never knowed
And it ain't no use in turnin' on your light
I'm on the dark side of the road
Still I wish there was somethin' you would do or say
Make me wanna change my mind and stay
We never did too much talkin' anyway
Don't think twice, it's all right
And it ain't no use in callin' out my name, babe
Like you never did before
And it ain't no use in callin' out my name
I can't hear you anymore
I'm a-thinkin' and a-wond'rin' all the way down the road
I once loved a woman, a child I'm told
I give her my heart and she wanted my soul
But don't think twice, it's all right
I'm going down that long, lonesome road, babe
Where I'm bound, I can't tell
But goodbye's too good a word, babe
So I'll just say fare thee well
I ain't sayin' you treated me unkind
Could have done better but I don't mind
You just kinda wasted my precious time
Well I'm sailin away my own true love.
I'm sailin' away in the mornin'
Is there something I can send you from across the sea,
From the place where I'll be landin'?
No, there's nothing you can bring me my own true love.
There's nothing I wish to be ownin'.
Just carry yourself back to me unspoiled
from across that lonesome ocean.
Well I just though you might want something fine
made of silver or of golden
either from the mountains of Madrid
or the coast of Barcelona.
If I had the stars from the darkest night
and the diamonds from the deepest ocean,
I'd foresake them all for your sweet kiss,
for that's all I'm wishin' to be ownin'
That I might be gone a long old time,
and it's only that I'm askin'.
Is there something I can give you to remember me by,
To make your time more easy passin'?
Oh how can, how can you ask me again?
It only brings me sorrow.
For the same thing that I want from you today
I would want again tomorrow.
Well I got a letter on a lonesome day.
It was from her ship a'sailin'.
Sayin' "I don't know when I'll be comin' back again.
It depends on how I'm feelin'."
Well if you my love must think that a'way
I'm sure your mind is a'roamin'.
I'm sure your heart is not with me
but with the country where you're goin'.
So take heed, take heed of the Western wind.
Take heed of the stormy weather.
And yes, there's something you can send back to me;
There are voices in the mirror, faces at the door
That open on the rivers we've never seen before
Are there choices for the sparrow, or does he only fly
High above the rivers that are pulling you and I
For there are strange rivers, rivers that you cannot see
And there are strange rivers that know our destiny
And there are strange rivers that run your love to me
And he could have been a builder, he could have been the one
Who turned his dreams to steel cathedrals in the sun
And he could have been a builder, then he bought the gun
There are forces in that river that keep him on the run
For there are strange rivers, rivers that you cannot see
And there are strange rivers that know our destiny
And there are strange rivers that run your love to me
Have you ever turned the corner and wondered why you did?
You haven't been that way you know, since you were just a kid
But nothing really happens then you have to say
What would happen had I gone the other way
For there are strange rivers, rivers that you cannot see
And there are strange rivers that know our destiny
And there are strange rivers that run your love to me
There are strange rivers
There are strange rivers
When rose the eastern star,
The birds came from a-far,
In that full might of glory.
With one melodious voice
They sweetly did rejoice
And sang the wondrous story.
Sang, praising God on high,
enthroned above the sky,
and his fair mother Mary.
The eagle left his lair,
Came winging through the air,
His message loud arising.
And to his joyous cry
The sparrow made reply,
His answer sweetly voicing
"O'ercome are death and strife,
this night is born new life",
the robin sang rejoicing.
Ooooh.
When rose the eastern star,
Well, I'll be damned
Here comes your ghost again
But that's not unusual
It's just that the moon is full
And you happened to call
And here I sit
Hand on the telephone
Hearing a voice I'd known
A couple of light years ago
Heading straight for a fall
As I remember your eyes
Were bluer than robin's eggs
My poetry was lousy you said
Where are you calling from?
A booth in the Midwest
Ten years ago I bought you some cufflinks
You brought me something
We both know what memories can bring
They bring diamonds and rust
Well, you burst on the scene, already a legend
The unwashed phenomenon
The original vagabond
You strayed into my arms
And there you stayed
Temporarily lost at sea
The Madonna was yours for free
Yes, the girl on the half-shell
Could keep you unharmed
Now I see you standing with brown leaves falling around
And snow in your hair
Now you're smiling out the window of that crummy hotel
Over Washington Square
Our breath comes out white clouds
Mingles and hangs in the air
Speaking strictly for me
We both could have died then and there
Now you're telling me you're not nostalgic
Then give me another word for it
You who are so good with words
And at keeping things vague
'Cause I need some of that vagueness now
It's all come back too clearly
Yes, I once loved you dearly
And if you're offering me diamonds and rust
Railroad Bill, Railroad Bill
Live way up on the Railroad Hill,
Ride, ride, ride.
Raiload Bill, Railroad Bill,
He never work' and I he never will,
Ride, ride, ride.
Kill me a chicken, send me the wing,
You think I'm workin', I don't do a thing,
Ride, ride, ride.
Railroad Bill, Railroad Bill,
Live way up on Railroad Hill,
