1. |
The Last Fierce Charge
04:10
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Twas just before the last fierce charge
Two soldiers drew their rein
With a clasp of the hand and a parting word
For they might not meet again
Together they’d rode on many a raid
And marched o’er many a mile
But never before had they faced a foe
With such stern and steadfast smiles
One was a man dark, stern and proud
His faith in the world was dim
For he only trusted the one he loved
She was all the world to him
“Write to her, Charlie, when I am gone
Send back that fair, fond face
Tell her I died so tenderly
And tell her my resting place”
The other was a boy with curling hair
Turned nineteen a month ago
With a flush on his cheek and a dimpled chin
He was only a boy, you know
“And if you ride back and I am gone
Will you do the same for me?
I have a mother who waits at home
Will you write to her tenderly?”
Just then the order came for the charge,
For a moment hand touched hand
Aye answered aye and on they rushed
That brave devoted band
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2. |
The House Carpenter
04:44
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“Well met, well met,” said an old true love
“Well met, well met,” said he
“I’m just returning from the salt, salt sea
And it’s all for the love of thee!”
“Come in, come in, my old true love
Come have a seat with me
It’s been three-fourths of a long, long year
Since together we could be”
“Well, I can’t come in and I can’t sit down
For I haven’t a moment’s time.
They say you’re married to a house carpenter
And your heart will never be mine.”
“Well, I could have married a king’s daughter fair
I’m sure she would’ve married me
But I’ve forsaken her crowns of gold
And it’s all for the love of thee.”
“Now will you forsaken your house carpenter
Will you come along with me?
I’ll take you where the grass grows green
On the banks of the deep blue sea.”
So she picked up her little babe
And kisses she gave it three
Said, “Stay right here my darling little one,
And keep your poppa company.”
Now, they hadn’t been on ship but about two weeks
I swear it had not been three
When his true love began to weep and moan
Yes, she wept so bitterly
“Now are you weeping for my silver and gold?
Are you weeping for my store?
Or are you weeping for that house carpenter
Whose face you’ll never see anymore?
“No, I’m not weeping for your silver and gold
And neither do I weep for your store.
I am weeping for my darling little babe
Who I will never see anymore!”
Well, they hadn’t been on ship but about three weeks
I swear it had not been four
Till they sprung a leak in the bottom of the ship
And sunk for to rise no more
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3. |
St. Louis Blues
03:14
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I hate to see the evening sun go down
I hate to see the evening sun go down
‘Cause I am the reason my baby done left this town
If I feel tomorrow like I feel today
If I feel tomorrow like I feel today
Gonna pack my trunk and make my getaway
Oh, that St. Louis woman with her diamond rings
She pulls me around by her apron strings
If it wasn’t for powder or her store bought hair
Oh, that woman of mine wouldn’t have gone anywhere
I’ve got those St. Louis blues, as blue as I can be
My heart’s like a rock, cast in the deep blue sea
Or else I wouldn’t have chased her so far away from me
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4. |
Oh, Father
02:36
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Oh, father! Oh, father, can you see this man
Who’s been a’wandering since this night began?
He comes ever closer, he beckons to me
Standing in darkness underneath that old tree
Oh, father, what do you mean you don’t see him there?
Yes, I am sure. I can see him, I swear!
He’s standing in darkness, his features concealed
Oh, father, don’t say that this isn’t real
Oh, father! Oh, father, won’t you build up the fire
Please take my word, you know I’m no liar
I swear I’m not making up stories again
I am afraid. Will this night never end?
Oh, father!
Oh, father, don’t allow me to fall fast asleep
Swear on my life this promise to keep
My eyelids are heavy, I fear I won’t last
I dare not sit back. I dare not relax
Oh, father, I hear him whispering to me
He wants me to go to him under that tree
I cannot resist his calling, I fear
Oh where are you father? You said you’d be near!
Oh, father!
Oh, father! Oh, father, I told you the truth
And soon you will have my body as proof
I feel his fingers, they’re cruel and cold
I feel him reach right down to my soul
Oh, father!
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5. |
Train Keeps Rolling
02:18
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Train’s been a rolling all through the night
Train’ll keep rolling till the morning light
That train keeps rolling
That train keeps rolling on
Roll, roll train, rolling the whole night long
The fireman pushed the water and the coal
Gonna make that train roll, roll, roll
That train keeps rolling
That train keeps rolling on
Roll, roll train, rolling the whole night long
One Sunday morning it began to rain
It stormed on that steam powered passenger train
That train keeps rolling
That train keeps rolling on
Roll, roll train, rolling the whole day long
In the afternoon the engineer could see
The bridge washed out, the chasm was deep
That train keeps rolling
That train keeps rolling on
Roll, roll train, rolling the whole day long
Some people say they can hear that train
You gotta listen close in the storming rain
That train keeps rolling
That train keeps rolling on
Roll, roll train, rolling the whole night long
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6. |
Lady Isabel
02:32
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‘Go steal me some of your father’s gold
And some of your mother’s fee
And steal two horses from your father’s herd
Ride off and marry me’
She mounted on her milk-white steed,
He on a dapple grey;
They rode till they came to the side of the sea
Three hours before it was day
‘Get down, get down! my pretty fair maid,
Get down, get down!’ said he;
For six king’s daughters I’ve drowned here,
And the seventh you shall be!’
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‘Take off that costly silken gown
And hand it down to me
It cost your father too much gold
To rot in the salty sea’
‘If I take off this costly silk
And hand it down to thee
Then you must turn yourself around
Face that willow-tree’
He turned ‘round with his back to the cliff,
His face to the willow-tree;
So sudden she took him up in her arms,
And threw him into the sea.
-
‘Lie there, lie there! you false-hearted man,
Lie there instead of me
If there are six king’s daughters drowned here
Go keep them company.’
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7. |
Deportees
03:40
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8. |
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I hate to see the evening sun go down
I hate to see the evening sun go down
Makes me think I’m on my last go ‘round
If I feel tomorrow like I feel today
If I feel tomorrow like I feel today
I’ll pack my bags and make my get away
Got them St. Louis blues, as blue as I can be
She got a heart like a rock, cast in the deep blue sea
Or else she wouldn’t go so far away from me
I hate to see the evening sun go down
I hate to see the evening sun go down
Makes me think I’m on my last go ‘round
Makes me think I’m on my last go ‘round
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9. |
Stackolee
03:51
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Stack O'Lee was a bad man, everybody knows
And when they see Stack O'Lee comin', they'd give him the road
He was her man, but he done her wrong
Stack O'Lee, Stack O'Lee was short-tempered and bad
He'd take everything his women would bring, and everything they had
He was her man, but he done her wrong
Stack O'Lee's on the warpath, and you'd better run
'Cause Stack O'Lee, oh he’s a bad man and he'll kill you just for fun
He was her man, but he done her wrong
Stack O'Lee's in jail now with his face turned to the wall
Pretty women and corn whiskey was the cause of it all
He was her man, but he done her wrong
A hundred-dollar coffin and a eighty-dollar hat
Carriеd him to the cemetery but they did not bring him back
He was her man, but he done her wrong
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10. |
John Henry
03:00
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John Henry was about three days old
When he was sitting on his pappy’s knee
He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel
Said, ‘This hammer’s gonna be the death of me, oh lord!
This hammer’s gonna be the death of me.’
John Henry went up on the mountain top
And he came down the other side
The mountain was so tall and John Henry was so small
That he laid down his hammer and he cried, oh, lord
He laid down his hammer and he cried
John Henry said to his Captain, ‘Go
Send some boys on into town.
Have them bring me back a twelve pound hammer, boss
And I’ll beat that steam drill on down, oh, lord.
I’ll beat that steam drill on down’
They placed John Henry on the right hand side
The steam drill to the left of that man
Said, “Before I let that steam drill beat me down
I’ll die with this hammer in my hand, oh, lord
I’ll die with this hammer in my hand.’
John Henry had a pretty little wife
She went by the name of Polly Ann
John Henry took sick and went to his bed
Polly Ann drove that steel like a man, oh, lord.
She drove that steel like a man
John Henry had a little baby boy
You could hold him in the palm of your hand
The last words I heard that poor boy say,
‘My daddy was a steel driving man, oh, lord
My daddy was a steel driving man.’
If you go to the mountains where he died
And you wait for the bluebirds to sing
You can hear John Henry a mile or more
You can hear John Henry’s hammer ring, oh, lord
You can hear John Henry’s hammer ring
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11. |
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While the one percent and all the politicians
Seem to have all of the luck
We poor men get with the poor women
And comfort ourselves with a fuck
When Biden starts talking all over the news
When Trump is unwilling to simply shut up
I swear we all would be for the better
If they'd both go get themselves fucked
And why shouldn't poor people fuck, fuck fuck?
Why shouldn't poor people fuck?
And why shouldn't poor people fuck, fuck fuck?
Why shouldn't poor people fuck?
Putin wants Ukraine, he's willing to fight
While innocent people in the middle are stuck
"War is a coming" the newspapers read
When bullets start flying only poor folk are struck
I swear the whole world would be for the better
If all of the generals would go get fucked
And why shouldn't poor people fuck, fuck fuck?
Why shouldn't poor people fuck?
And why shouldn't poor people fuck, fuck fuck?
Why shouldn't poor people fuck?
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12. |
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I hate to see the evening sun go down
I hate to see the evening sun go down
Makes me think I’m on my last go ‘round
If I feel tomorrow like I feel today
If I feel tomorrow like I feel today
I’ll pack my bags and make my get away
Got them St. Louis blues, as blue as I can be
She got a heart like a rock, cast in the deep blue sea
Or else she wouldn’t go so far away from me
I hate to see the evening sun go down
I hate to see the evening sun go down
Makes me think I’m on my last go ‘round
Makes me think I’m on my last go ‘round
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T.C. Elliott Columbia, Missouri
If Neil Young and The Holy Modal Rounders had a litter of baby songwriters then T.C. Elliott would be the runt of the litter.
T.C. has written over 1100 songs and at least one of them doesn't suck.
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