1. |
Ethan Allen
04:27
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I was born upon a hillside
Where the pines sing in the wind
Where my Daddy lived before me
And my Grandpa before him.
We believe in simple living
It's the only life we know
All we need here is our freedom
And a place to call our home.
In the land of Ethan Allen
Where the purple heather grows
Where the wild grass fills the meadows
And the rocky rivers flow
By the hills that I call home
I have travelled across the country
And there is much that I have learned
But I find no peace inside me
Till the day that I return
There are two things you can count on
In this troubled world we face
Every season has an ending
Every person has a place.
Chorus.
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2. |
Omie Wise
03:42
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Omie Wise (Trad.) This is the Roscoe Holcombe version.
Tell me no story, tell me no lies
It’s tell me the story of little Omie Wise
I’ll tell you no story, I’ll tell you no lies
Just how she was deluded by John Lewis’s lies
He promised to meet her at Adam's High Spring,
Some money he would bring her and other fine things
She flew like an eagle to Adam’s High Spring
No money did he bring her nor other fine things
No money, no money, my sweetheart said he
But hop up behind me and married we will be.
She hopped up behind him and away they did go
Down by the river where the deep water flows
John Lewis, John Lewis, I’m afraid of your ways
I’m afraid that you will lead my poor body astray
He beat her, he banged her, he knocked her around
He threw her in the river where he knew that she would drown
Two boys were a fishing all on the Sunday morn’
They found little Omie’s body down by the old Mill Pond
They threw the nets around her, and dragged her to the bank
They drew her from the water and laid her on a plank
They sent for John Lewis to come to that place
They set her up before him that he might know her face
My name is John Lewis, my name I’ll not deny
I killed my own lover, her name was Omie Wise
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3. |
Blackjack County Chain
03:30
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Blackjack County Chain.
I was sitting by the road in black-jack county,
Not knowing that the Sheriff paid a bounty
For men like me who hadn’t got a penny to their name
And they locked my legs to 35 pounds of Blackjack County chain.
All we had to eat was bread and water
Each day we had to build a road a mile and a quarter
And a black snake whip would cut the back of any man who complained
But you can’t fight back wearing 35 pounds of Blackjack County chain.
And then one night when the man was sleeping
We all gathered round him slowly creeping
And may God help me to forget that night in the cold cold rain
We beat him to death with 35 pounds of Blackjack County chain.
And now I am a free man and I am thankful
I have nothing but the scars around my ankle
But most of all I glad that a man will never again be a slave,
To the black snake whip and 35 pounds of Blackjack County chain
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4. |
Annabelle
04:42
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We lease twenty acres and one Ginny mule
From the Alabama trust
For half of the cotton and a third of the corn
We get a handful of dust
We cannot have all things to please us
No matter how we try
'Til we've all gone to Jesus
We can only wonder why
I had a daughter, called her Annabelle
She's the apple of my eye
Tried to give her something like I never had
Didn't want to ever hear her cry
When I'm dead and buried
I'll take a hard life of tears
From every day I've ever known
Anna's in the churchyard, she got no life at all
She only got these words on a stone
We lease twenty acres and one Ginny mule
From the Alabama trust
For half of the cotton and a third of the corn
We get a handful of dust
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5. |
Little Satchel
04:29
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Little Satchel
Under my bed you can set your little satchel
And on my head come lay your little hand
If you will be my own true lover
And I will be your loving little man
Run to the house and ask your papa
If a bride of mine you'll ever be
If he says no, come back and tell me
And I will wait till you get free
When you get free, we'll go get married
Look how happy we will be
And we can go to California
Or any old place you want to go
Or we can go to Louisiana,
And settle down, and live at home.
(Instrumental ½)
(Instrumental 1)
I wish I was a little angel
And over these prison walls I would fly
Fly on back to the arms of my darling
Stay at home and there I will die
As you can see I'm no little angel
Neither have I wings to fly
I'll go back all broken hearted
Weep and mourn until I die
Under my bed you can set your little satchel
And on my head come lay your little hand
If you will be my own true lover
And I will be your loving little man
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6. |
Waiting Around to Die
04:04
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Sometimes I don't know where
This dirty road is taking me
Sometimes I can't even see the reason why
I guess I keep a-gamblin'
Lots of booze and lots of ramblin'
It's easier than just waitin' around to die
Once I had a ma
I even had a pa
He hit her with a belt once 'cause she cried
She said to him to take care of me
Headed back to Ininsfree
It was easier than just waitin' around to die
I came of age and I found a girl
In a Countu Cavan bar
She cleaned me out and hit in on the sly
I tried to kill the pain, bought some wine
And jumped a plane,
It was easier than just waitin' around to die
A friend said he knew
Where some easy money was
We robbed a man, and brother did we fly
The posse caught up with me
And drug me back to Kilcogee
Now it's two years waitin' around to die
Now I'm out of prison
I got me a friend at last
He don't drink or steal or cheat or lie
His name's Codine
He's the finest thing I've seen
Together we're just waiting around to die,
Together we're just waiting around to die.
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7. |
Privateer
05:04
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We ran molasses from Jamaica to the coast of Caroline
Then we’d trade it for tobacco and we’d head home one more time
But any ship low in the water that we’d meet along the way
We would take with fire and murder, leave her burning in our wake
The poor souls who went down with her would cry and scream in fear
They would beg to us for mercy but they’d find no mercy here
The colours on our main mast show allegiance to the King
But the colours in our heart show we respect no living thing
A white skull over crossed bones on a flag as black as Hades in the night
We made the port of Bristol; they ask no questions there
Our goods were sold for profit giving every man his share
Which we then gave to the taverns and the gamblers and the whores
Before we staggered up the gangway to head to sea once more
The merchants of this city like to think they’re civilised
But tear away the attitude and take a look inside
You’ll see the Devil’s mark upon the heart and soul and brain
Of every merchant who takes profit from the blood of other men
A white skull over crossed bones on a flag as black as Hades in the night
So we headed down to Africa with metal goods to trade
For a cargo of Angolans who would to end their days as slaves
We would sail them o’er the ocean; we would sail them into Hell
Those who lived would reach Jamaica for the auctioneers to sell
But the profits went to London and the homes of honest men
Who believe that God is English and will always care for them
So they go to church each Sunday to sing praises to his name
But the Devil sits beside them knowing fine their souls are claimed
By the white skull over crossed bones on a flag as black as Hades in the night
We ran Molasses from Jamaica to the coast of Caroline
The we’d trade it for tobacco and we’d head home one more time
Our gold would swell the coffers of those rich and famous men
Who sit in London’s guildhalls – merchants, bankers, kings,
Sitting proud beneath the banners made of gold and silver thread
Bought with slavery and murder and the souls of countless dead
But still we sail the ocean, sail it time and time again
Beneath colours that condemn us in the eyes of honest men
A white skull over crossed bones on a flag as black as Hades in the night
A white skull over crossed bones on a flag as black as Hades in the night
Instrumental (5th chorus)
Extra verse 5
The story that I’ve told you was two hundred years ago
But nothing much has changed since then you’d be surprised to know
Halliburton and Dick Cheney, George Bush and Tony Blair
They know full well the money that was made out over there,
Sixty thousand cluster bombs, one hundred thousand dead
And the bankers and the oilmen sleeping easy in their beds
The flag that flies above them may be scarlet white and blue
But whoever they were fighting for it wasn’t me and you,
Just a white skull over crossed bones on a flag as black as oil in the night.
Just a white skull over crossed bones on a flag as black as hell in the night.
Just a white skull over crossed bones on a flag as black as Hades in the night.
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8. |
Marie
04:35
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Marie.
I stood in line and left my name,
Took about six hours or so
The man just grinned like it was all a game,
Said they’d let me know
I put in my time till the opencast mine
Shut down two years ago
I was staying at the mission till I met Marie
Now I can’t stay there no more
Fella ’cross town said he’s lookin’ for a man,
To move some old cars around
Maybe me and Marie
could find a burned-out van
and do a little settlin’ down
Aw, but I’m just dreamin’, I’ve got no ride,
And the yard’s a fair long way,
That job’s a few days old besides
It’d be gone now anyway
Jobcentre said they stopped my payments,
And they showed me to the hall
My brother died in Bristol little while ago,
I got no one left to call
Summer wasn’t bad below the bridge,
A little short on food that’s all
I got to get Marie some kind of coat
We’re headed down into fall
I used to play the fiddle pretty good,
Busk up a little dough
But I got drunk and I woke up rolled,
A couple of months ago
They got my fiddle and they got my coin,
Them low life so and so’s
Fiddles cost money and I ain’t got it
It’s my own fault I suppose
I can’t afford a train
but I could always hitch a ride,
I could easy get away tonight,
If it was just me I’d be headed south,
But Marie says it’s not right,
She’s got some pain
says she thinks it’s a baby,
Says we gotta wait and see
In my heart I know it’s a little boy,
Hope he don’t end up like me
Well, the man’s still grinnin’
says he lost my file,
I gotta stand in line again
I want to kill him but I just say no,
I had enough of that, my friend
Back to the bridge, it’s getting kinda cold,
I’m feelin’ too bad to lie
I guess I’ll just tell Marie the truth,
Hope she don’t break down and cry
Marie she didn’t wake up this morning
She didn’t even try,
She just rolled over and went to heaven,
My little boy safe inside
I laid them in the sun
where somebody’d find them
Hitched a lift out on the fly
Marie will know I’m headed south
So’s to meet me by and by
Marie will know I’m headed south
So to meet me by and by
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9. |
Billy Austin
07:13
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Billy Austin
Oh my name is Billy Austin, I'm 29 years old
I was born in Oklahoma, 1/4 Cherokee I'm told
I don't remember Oklahoma, it’s a long time since I've been home,
Seems I've always been in prison, seems I've always been alone.
I didn't mean to hurt nobody, never thought I'd cross that line
I held up a filling station, like I'd done a hundred times.
The kid did what I told him, he lay face down on the floor,
And I'll never know what made me turn & walk back through that door.
The shot rang out like thunder, and my ears rang like a bell,
No-one came a running, so I called the cops myself
They took their time to get there, and I guess I could have run,
I knew I should feel something, but I never shed tear, one.
I didn't read about it in the papers, cos I’d only killed one man,
But my trial was over quickly, and the long hard road began.
The court appointed lawyer couldn't look me in the eye
He just stood up and closed his briefcase as they sentenced me to die.
And now my wait is over, and the final hour drags by;
I ain't about to tell you that I don't deserve to die.
There's 27 men here, mostly brown or black or poor,
And most of us are guilty, but who are you to say for sure.
So when the preacher comes to get me, and they shave off all my hair,
Could you take that long walk with me, knowing Hell is waiting there?
Could you pull that switch yourself, sir, with a sure and steady hand?
Could you still tell yourself Sir, that you’re a better man?
Repeat 1st Verse.
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10. |
American Mythology
03:37
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American Mythology
We all want to be cowboys, sing cowboy songs,
Want to walk six feet tall and have long horns on the wall
Sing of the Alamo and the battle of Little Big Horn
But Hollywood and Cinemascope, well I think they got it wrong
Chorus: John Wayne was a wanker, Audie Murphy told lies,
Wild Bill was over the hill, and Annie Oakley cried.
The Indians died on the reservations and not on the battlefield,
Its American mythology, and my dad thinks it real.
Butch and Sundance never sang about raindrops in their heads
Doc Holliday died coughing in his bed
High Noon was just a time when they all used to get up
Drag their sorry asses back to that whiskey cup
The American Dream won’t make you rich, just ‘coz you work so hard,
And the US Ain’t the land of the free - if you ain’t got a credit card.
The American army won the Second World War, and the war in Vietnam
And we are all created equal, unless you are a young black man.
Mexicans are all bandits, and the bad guys all wear black,
All the whores have hearts of gold, and the hero never looks back
Partner please don’t tell me how the west was won.
I ain’t smelt that much bullshit since them buffalo bin gone.
We all want to be cowboys, sing cowboy songs,
Want to walk six feet tall and have longhorns on the wall
Sing of the Alamo and the Battle of Little Big Horn
Hollywood and Cinemascope I think they got it wrong
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11. |
Rake
03:40
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Well, I used to wake
and run with the moon
I lived like a rake and a young man
I covered (courted) my lovers
with flowers and wounds (words)
my laughter the devil would frighten.
The sun, she would come
and beat me back down
but every cruel day had its nightfall
I'd welcome the stars
with wine and guitars
full of fire and forgetful
My body was sharp, the dark air clean
and outrage my joyful companion
whisperin' women
how sweet did they seem
kneelin' for me to command them
And time was like water
but I was the sea
I wouldn't have noticed it passing
except for the turnin'
of night into day
and turnin' of day into cursin'
You look at me now
and don't think I don't know
what all your eyes are a sayin'
Does he want us to believe
these ravings and lies
they're just tricks that his brain's been a playin'?
A lover of women
he can't hardly stand
he trembles he's bent and he's broken
I've fallen it's true
but I say unto you
hold your tongues until after I've spoken
I was takin' my pride
in the pleasures I'd known
I laughed and said I'd be forgiven
but my laughter turned 'round
eyes blazin' and said my
friend, we're holding a wedding
I buried my face
but it spoke once again
the night to the day we're a bindin'
and now the dark air
is like fire on my skin
and even the moonlight is blinding
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12. |
Revolution
03:49
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I come like a comet new born
Like the sun that arises at morning,
I come like the furious tempest
That follows a thundercloud's warning,
I come like the fiery lava
From cloud-covered mountains volcanic,
I come like a storm from the north
That the oceans awake to in panic
I come because tyranny planted
My seed in the hot desert sand,
I come because masters have kindled
My fury with every command,
I come because man cannot murder
The life-giving seed in his veins,
I come because liberty cannot
Forever be fettered by chains
I come because tyrants imagine
That mankind is only their throne,
I come because peace has been nourished
By bullets and cannon alone,
I come because one world is two
And we face one another with rage,
I come because guards have been posted
To keep out the hope of the age
From earliest times the oppressed have awaked me and called me to lead them,
I guided them out of enslavement
And brought them to high roads of freedom,
I marched at the head of their legions
And hailed a new world at its birth
And now I shall march with the peoples
Until they unfetter the earth
And you, all you sanctified moneybags
Bandits anointed and crowned,
Your counterfeit towers of justice
And ethics will crash to the ground,
I'll send my good sword through your hearts
That have drained the world's blood in their lust
Smash all your crowns and your sceptres
And trample them into the dust
I'll rip off your rich purple garments
And tear them to rags and to shreds,
Never again will their glitter
Be able to turn people's heads,
At last your cold world will be robbed
of it's proud hypocritical glow,
For we shall dissolve it as surely
As sunlight dissolves the deep snow.
I'll tear down your cobweb morality
Shatter the old chain of lies,
Catch all your black-hooded preachers
And choke them as though they were flies.
I'll put a quick end to your heavens
Your gods that are deaf to all prayer,
Scatter your futile old spirits
And clean up the earth and the air.
And though you may choke me and shoot me
And hang me your toil is in vain,
No dungeon, no gallows can scare me
Nor will I be frightened by pain.
Each time I'll arise from the earth
And break through all your weapons of doom,
Until you are finished forever
Until you are dust in the tomb
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13. |
Motherless Child
05:19
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Sometimes I feel like a motherless child…
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child…
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child…
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child…
A long way from home
Sometimes I feel that we are almost gone
Sometimes I feel like we are almost gone,
Sometimes I feel like we are almost gone,
A long, long way from home.
I remember our mother, seems a long time ago,
I remember our dear mother, seems a long time ago,
Her rivers ran clear, we could watch the garden grow,
Now we’re a long way from home.
Now we can’t drink the water, the air it makes us choke,
The ice caps are shrinking, and the forest up in smoke,
Nuclear plant in melt-down, the currency is broke,
We’re a long, long way from home.
The garden turns to concrete, makes us corporation slaves,
To the TV and the shopping mall, from the nursery to the grave,
The war machine is hungry, eating up the brave,
And we’re a long, long way from home…
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child… Rpt. Verse 1
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14. |
Chimes of Freedom
04:37
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Far between sundown's finish an' midnight's broken toll
We ducked inside the doorway, thunder crashing
As majestic bells of bolts struck shadows in the sounds
Seeming to be the chimes of freedom flashing
Flashing for the warriors whose strength is not to fight
Flashing for the refugees on the unarmed road of flight
An' for each an' ev'ry underdog soldier in the night
An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing
In the city's melted furnace, unexpectedly we watched
With faces hidden while the walls were tightening
As the echo of the wedding bells before the blowin' rain
Dissolved into the bells of the lightning
Tolling for the rebel, tolling for the rake
Tolling for the luckless, the abandoned an' forsaked
Tolling for the outcast, burnin' constantly at stake
An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing
Through the mad mystic hammering of the wild ripping hail
The sky cracked its poems in naked wonder
That the ringing of the church bells blew far into the breeze
Leaving only bells of lightning and its thunder
Striking for the gentle, striking for the kind
Striking for the guardians and protectors of the mind
An' the poet and the painter beyond his rightful time
An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing
Even though a cloud's white curtain in a far-off corner flashed
An' the hypnotic splattered mist was slowly lifting
Electric light still struck like arrows, fired but for the ones
Condemned to drift or else be kept from drifting
Tolling for the searching ones, on their speechless,seeking trail
For the lonesome-hearted lovers with too personal a tale
An' for each un-harmful, gentle soul misplaced inside a jail
An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing
Starry-eyed an' laughing as I recall
when we were caught
Trapped by no track of hours
for they hanged suspended
As we listened one last time
an' we watched with one last look
Spellbound an' swallowed 'til the tolling ended
Tolling for the aching ones
whose wounds cannot be nursed
For the countless confused, accused,
misused, strung-out ones an' worse
An' for every hung-up person
in the whole wide universe
An' we gazed upon
the chimes of freedom flashing
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15. |
Freedom Come All Ye
04:12
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Rough the winds in the clear day's dawning
Blows the clouds heilster-gowdie o’er the bay
But there's mair than a rough win blowing
Through the Great Glen of the world today.
It's a thought that would gar our rottans
All they rogues that gang gallus, fresh an gay
Take the road an seek other loanins
For their ill-ploys to sport an play
Nae mair will our bonnie callants
March to war when our braggarts crousely craw
Nor wee wains frae pithead an clachan
Mourn the ships sailing down the Broomielaw
Broken families in lands we've hairriet,
Will curse 'Scotlan the Brave' nae mair, nae mair
Black and white one-til-other mairriet
Make the vile barracks o their masters bare
So come all ye at home with freedom
Never heed what the houdies croak for Doom
In your house all the bairns of Adam
Can find bread, barley-bree an painted room
When MacLane meets wi' his friends in Springburn
All they roses an geans will turn to blume
An a black boy frae yont Nyanga
Dings the fell gallows o’ the burghers down.
©Hamish Henderson
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Bill Lloyd Kendal, UK
Bill Lloyd is a folk singer and multi-instrumentalist from the Lake District in northern England. He plays 5 string banjo and Galician gaita bagpipes, uilleann pipes and whistles, He is a versatile singer in the ‘high lonesome’ mountain style, delicate ballads, and ‘come-all-ye’ folk styles. Bill is an experienced storyteller, compere, music promoter, record producer and festival organiser. ... more
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