Songs That Tell Stories

Nanci Griffith wrote this poignant song-


It's a Hard Life Wherever You Go

I am a backseat driver from America
They drive to the left on Falls Road
The man at the wheel's name is Seamus
We pass a child on the corner he knows
And Seamus says, Now, what chance has that
kid got?
And I say from the back, I don't know.
He says, There's barbed wire at all of these exits . . .
And there ain't no place in Belfast for that kid
to go.

(chorus)
It's a hard life
It's a hard life
It's a very hard life
It's a hard life wherever you go
If we poison our children with hatred
then, the hard life is all that they'll know
And there ain't no place in (Belfast) for
these kids to go
(Chicago)
(This world)

A cafeteria line in Chicago
The fat man in front of me
Is calling black people trash to his children
he's the only trash here I see
And I'm thinking this man wears a white hood
in the night when his children should sleep
But, they slip to their window and they see him
And they think that white hood's all they need

(repeat chorus)

I was a child in the sixties
dreams could be held through TV
With Disney, and Cronkite, and Martin Luther
Oh, I believed, I believed . . I BELIEVED
Now, I am the backseat driver from America
I am not at the wheel of control
I am guilty, I am war, . . . I am the root of all evil
Lord, and I can't drive on the left side of the road

Dance Band on the Titanic - Harry Chapin




Dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

Mama stood cryin' at the dockside
Sayin' "Please son, don't take this trip"
I said "Mama, sweet Mama, don't you worry none"
"Even God couldn't sink this ship"

Well, the whistle blew and they turned the screws
It turned the water into foam
Destination sweet salvation
Goodbye home sweet home

I'm in the dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

There was a trombone and a saxophone
The bass and drums were cookin' up the bandstand
And I was strummin' in the middle with this dude on the fiddle
And we were three days out from land

And now the foghorn's jammed and moanin'
Hear it groanin' through the misty night
I heard the lookout shout down "There's icebergs around"
"But still everything's all right"

Oh, the dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

They were burnin' all the flares for candles
In the banquet they were throwin' in first class
And we were blowin' waltzes in the barroom
When the universe went CRASH!

"There's no way that this could happen"
I could hear the old captain curse
He ordered lifeboats away, that's when I heard the chaplain say
"Women and children and chaplains first"

Well, they soon used up all of the lifeboats
But there were a lot of us left on board
I heard the drummer sayin' "Boys, just keep playin'"
"Now we're doin' this gig for the Lord"

I heard the dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

There's a wild-eyed boy in the radio shack
He's the last remaining guest
He was tappin' in a Morse code frenzy
Tappin' "Please God, S.O.S."

Jesus Christ can walk on the water
But a music man will drown
They say that Nero fiddled while Rome burned up
Well, I was strummin' as the ship go down

I'm in the dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

Dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

Dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

Choctaw Bing - James McCurtry

Strap them kids in
Give em a lil bit of vodka
in a cherry coke
were goin to oklahoma
to the family reunion
for the first time in years
its up at uncle slatons
cuz hes gettin on in years
no longer travels but hes
still pretty spry
hes not much on talk
and hes too mean to die
and they'll be comin down
from kansas and west arkansas
it'll be one big old party
like you've never saw

uncle slaton's got his texan pride
back in the thickets with his asian bride
hes got an airstream trailer and a
holstein cow
still makes whiskey cuz he still knows how
plays that chocktaw bingo every friday night
you know he had to leave texas but he won't say why
he owns a quarter section up by lake ufalla
caught a great big ol bluecat on a driftin jugline
sells his hardwood timber to the chippin mill
cooks that crystal meth cuz his shine don't sell
he cooks that crystal meth cuz his shine don't sell
you know he likes that money, he don't mind the smell

my cousin roscoe, slaton's oldest boy
from his second marraige up in illinois
hes raised in east st louis by his
mammas people where they do things different
thought he'd come on down
hes goin to dallas texas in a semi truck
caught from that big mcdonalds
you know that one thats built up on that
big old bridge across the will rogers turnpike
took the big cabin exit stopped and bought a carton of cigarrets
at that indian smoke shop with the big neon smoke rings
and the cherokee nations hittin the skogee late that night
somebody ran the stoplight at the shawnee bypass
roscoe tried to miss him but he didn't quite

bob and mae come up from
some little town way down by
lake taxoma where he coaches football
they were two-A champions for two years running
but he says they wont be this year
not they wont be this year
and he stopped off in tuska at the pop knife and gun place
bought a sks rifle and a couple full cases of that steel core ammo
with the beardam primers from some east bloc nation
that no longer needs em
and a desert eagle thats one great big old pistol
i mean fifty caliber made by bad-ass ebers
and some surplus tracers for that old BAR
of slatons as soon as it gets dark
were gonna have us a time
were gonna have us a time

ruth-anne and lynn come from baxter springs
thats one hell-raisin town way down in
southeastern kansas
got a biger bar next to the lingerie store
thats got rollin stones lips up there in
bright pink neon
and they're right downtown where everyone can see em
and they burn all night
you know they burn all night
they burn all night

Uncle slaton's got his texan pride
back in the thickets with his asian bride
hes got a corner pasture and an acre lots
he sells them owner financed strictly to them
its got no kind of credit
cause he knows they're slackers
and they'll miss that payment
and he'll take it back
plays that choctaw bingo
every friday night
he drinks his johnny walker
at that club 69
were gonna strap those kinds in
give em a lil bit of vinadryll
were gonna have us a time
were gonna have us a time

Whooey!

God Moves On The Water
Blind Willie Johnson
Recorded December, 1929

Ah, Lord, ah, Lord
Year of nineteen hundred and twelve, April the fourteenth day
Great Titanic struck an iceberg, people had to run and pray
God moves, moves, God moves, ah, and the people had to run and pray
The guards who had been a-watching, asleep 'cause they were tired
When they heard the great excitement, then a gunshot was fired
God moves, moves, God moves, ah, and the people had to run and pray
Captain Smith gave orders, women and children first
Many of the lifeboats piled right up, many were liable to crush
God moves on, God moves, God moves, ah, and the people had to run and pray
Ahh-ah
So many had to leave their happy home, all that they possess
Lord Jesus, will you hear us now, help us in our distress
God moves, God moves, God moves, ah, people had to run and pray
Women had to leave their loving ones, see 'bout their safety
When they heard the liner was doomed, hearts did almost break
God moves, God moves, God moves, ah, and the people had to run and pray
A.G. Smith, mighty man, built a boat that he couldn't understand
Named it a name of God in a tin, without a "c", Lord, he pulled it in
God moves, ah, God moves, God moves, ah, and the people had to run and pray
(spoken: Well) Ahh, ah, Lord

Harry Chapin must have been a fan of ol' Blind Willie. Willie's music is absolutely haunting.

Amen Cav, a hell of a Gospel blues singer

"Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground" is my favourite. It tells a story without any lyrics at all. Absolutely amazing.

The Late Great Johnny Ace by Paul Simon

I was reading a magazine
And thinking of a rock and roll song
The year was nineteen fiftyfour
And I hadn't been playing that long
When a man came on the radio
And this is what he said
He said I hate to break it to his fans
But Johnny Ace is dead, yeah, yeah, yeah

Well, I really wasn't
Such a Johnny Ace fan
But I felt bad alI the same
So I sent away for his photograph
And I waited till it came
It came all the way from Texas
With a sad and sim-ple face
And they signed it on the bottom
From the Late Great Johnny Ace, yeah, yeah, yeah

It was the year of The Beatles
It was the year of The Stones
It was nineteen sixtyfour
I was living in London
With the girl from the summer be-fore

It was the year of The Beatles
It was the year of The Stones
A year after J.F.K.
We were staying up all night
And giving the days away
And the music was flowing amazing
And blowing my way

On a cold December evening
I was walking through the Christmas tide
When a stranger came up and asked me
If I'd heard John Lennon had died
And the two of us went to this bar
And we stayed to close the place
And every song we played
Was for The Late Great Johnny Ace, yeah, yeah, yeah

Hank done 'em very well, however.

He did it fast too.

Alan Jacksons take on Hank-

Midnight in Montgomery, silver eagle, lonely road
I was on my way to Mobile for a big New Years Eve show
I stopped for just a minute to see a friend outside of town
Put my collar up, found his name, and felt the wind die down

Then a drunk man in a cowboy hat took me by surprise
Wearing shiny boots, a Nudi suit and haunting haunted eyes
He said "Friend it's good to see you, it's nice to know you care"
Then the wind picked up and he was gone
Was he ever really there

'Cause it's midnight in Montgomery
Just hear that whippoorwill
See the stars light up the purple sky
Feel that lonesome chill
When the wind it's right, you'll hear his songs
Smell whiskey in the air
Midnight in Montgomery
He's always singing there

I climbed back on my eagle, took one last look around
Through red tail lights a shadow moved slow across the ground
Off somewhere a midnight train is slowly passing by
I could hear that whistle moaning
I'm so lonesome I could cry

'Cause it's midnight in Montgomery
Just hear that whippoorwill
See the stars light up the purple sky
Feel that lonesome chill
When the wind is right, you'll hear his songs
Smell whiskey in the air
Midnight in Montgomery
He's always singing there
He's always singing there
Hank's always singing there

Good one panzade!

Eerie song ain't it Joanne?

I didn't know that song. Good one.

The Cocks Are Crowing


The cocks are crowing, daylight is appearing
It's drawing nigh to the break of day
Arise my darling out of your slumber
Arise my darling and let me in
And when he came to his true love's window
He kneeled low down upon a stone
And through the window he whispered softly
"Arise my darling and let me in"
"Well who is that that is at my window,
and who is that that gives me no rest"
" 'Tis I, 'tis I a poor wounded lover
who fain would speak with you love awhile"
"Then go away love and ask your daddy
If he would have you my bride to be
and if he says no then return and tell me
For this is the last time I will trouble thee"
"Oh my dada is in his bed chamber
he's fast asleep on his bed of ease
but in his pocket there lies a letter
which reads far love on to your disgrace"
"Oh what disgrace can he do unto me
A faithful husband to you I'll be
and what other neighbours have round their houses
the same my darling you would have with me"
"Then go away love and ask your mammy
if she would have you my bride to be
But if she says no then return and tell me
For this is the last time I will trouble thee"
"Oh my mama she's an old aged woman
and scarce can hear love one word I say
but she'd have you go love and court some other
For I'm not a fitting girl your bride to be"
"I'll go away but I'll court no other
my heart is linked all on your charms
I'd have you go love and leave your mammy
For you're only fit to lie in your love's arms"
"I'll go away unto the wild mountains
where I'll see nothing but the wild deer
and I'll eat nothing but the wild herbs sure
I'll drink nothing but my true love's tears"
"If the Kellybawn it were mine in the chorus
and the green fields they were mine and wide
If my pen was made of the tempered steel sure
My true love's praises I could never write".

Come Under My Plaidie (trad.)
arranged by The Tannahill Weavers

"And now for your further delectation, the second of the two songs regarding the choosing of a partner. It takes the form of a conversation between an old man and a young girl.
She, it seems, loves a young man who has nothing, but accepts the marriage proposal of an old man with plenty.

Leslie, for a variety of reasons, has ended up singing both parts of this conversation. We were amazed that he could manage this because he is neither female nor has he any experience of old age (unless, of course, it comes out of a bottle) but then, as he pointed out, it shouldn't be too complicated. Simply sing high for the female part and remember that in the male life span there are only three ages: (1) you believe in Santa Claus, (2) you don't believe in Santa Claus, (3) you are Santa Claus."


Come under my plaidie the nicht's gaun tae fa'
Come in frae the cauld blast the drift and the snaw
Come under my plaidie and sit doon beside me
There's room in it lassie believe me for twa
Come under my plaidie and sit doon beside me
I'll hap ye frae every cauld wind that can blaw
Come under my plaidie and sit doon beside me
There's room in it lassie believe me for twa

Gae wa' wi' your plaidie auld Donald, gae 'wa'
I fear nae the cauld blast, the drift or the snaw
Gae 'wa' wi' your plaidie, I'll no' sit beside ye
Ye micht be my gutcher auld Donald, gae 'wa'
I'm gaun tae meet Johnnie, he's young and he's bonnie
He's been at Meg's bridle fu' trig and fu' braw
Nane dances sae lightly, sae gracefu', sae tightly
His cheeks like the new rose, his brow's like the snaw

Dear Marion, let that flee stick tae the wa'
Your Jock's but a gowk and has naethin' ava'
The hale o' his pack he has noo on his back
He's thirty and I am but three score and twa
Be frank noo an' kin'ly I'll busk ye aye finely
Tae kirk or tae merket they'll few gang sae braw
A bien hoose tae bide in, a chaise for tae ride in
And flunkies tae tend ye as aft as ye ca'

My faither aye tellt me, my mither an' a'
Ye'd mak' a guid husband and keep me aye braw
It's true I lo'e Johnnie, he's young and he's bonnie
But wae's me I ken he has naethin' ava'
I hae little tocher ye've made a guid offer
I'm noo mair than twenty, my time is but sma'
Sae gie me yer plaidie, I'll creep in beside ye
I thocht ye'd been aulder than three score and' twa

Edgar's new-found appreciation for The Dead Kennedys inspired me to introduce him to a few songs by legendary Northern Irish punk band Stiff Little Fingers:

WASTED LIFE

I could be a soldier
Go out there and fight to save this land
Be a people's soldier
Paramilitary gun in hand
I won't be no soldier
I won't take no orders from no-one
Stuff their ******* armies
Killing isn't my idea of fun

(Chorus)
They wanna waste my life
They wanna waste my time
They wanna waste my life
And they've stolen it away

I could be a hero
Live and die for their 'important' cause
A united nation
Or an independant state with laws
And rules and regulations
That merely cause disturbances and wars
That is what I've got now
All thanks to the freedom-seeking hordes

(Chorus)

I'm not gonna be taken in
They said if I don't join them I just can't win
I've heard that story many times before
And every time I threw it out the door

Still they come up to me
With a different name but same old face
I can see the connection
With another time and different place
They ain't blonde haired or blue eyed
But they think that they're the master race
They're nothing but blind facists
Brought up to hate and given lives to waste

(Chorus:repeat)

JOHNNY WAS

Woman hold her head and cry
Cause her son had been shot down in the street and died
From a stray bullet

Woman hold her head and cry
Accompanying her was a passerby
Who saw the woman cry

Wondering can she work it out
Now she knows that the wages of sin is death
The gift of God is life

Oh, oh, oh, oh
Johnny was a good man
oh yeah

Woman hold her head and cry
Cause her son had been shot down in the street and died
Just because of the system

Woman hold her head and cry
Comforting her I was passing by
And I saw the woman cry

She cried, oh, oh, oh, oh
Johnny was a good man
Never did a thing wrong

Take it down

Johnny went out on a Saturday night
Never hurt anybody never started no bar room fight
Johnny never did nobody no wrong
Never hurt anybody never hurt anybody
Johnny was a good man
Johnny, Johnny, Johnny...

Johnny was a good man
(Repeat)

In a top floor flat in the middle of the night
There's a man with rifle and Johnny in his sight,
I said oh no, we can't let that kind of thing happen here no more
Oh no
Johnny, Johnny, Johnny...

A single shot rings out in a Belfast night and I said oh
Johnny was a good man

Can a woman's tender care
Cease towards the child she bears

Johnny (Repeat)

BEIRUT MOON

"We'd like to help you." the consul said
"But there's nothing we can do
Well, you knew the risks when you took the job
After all you're not a fool
So, don't call me, don't call me
I just can't bend the rules
Keep your chin up, I know it's tough
Somehow you'll get through."
It seems the Americans bargain and rescue
But if you get caught you're left to rot
Under a Beirut, under a Beirut Moon

(Chorus:)
Under a Beirut Moon
Sorry son, there's nothing we can do
Under a Beirut Moon
Different rules, we haven't got a clue

"We can't be seen to be giving in
To these terrorists you see
If we talk with them it would mean the end
Of all that we hold dear
So don't call me, don't call me
I'm doing all I can
Although it seems from where you sit
I don't give a damn."
Back home they'll remember you in papers, on TV
Because when you're caught you're left to rot
Under a Beirut, under a Beirut Moon

(Chorus)

And though you dream of being free
There's not much hope that I can see
Under a Beirut, under a Beirut Moon

Now just today on the news I saw
A hostage walking free
He talked of how it came about
He gained his liberty
He said, don't give up, don't give up
Argue, beg and plead
Keep the pressure up, don't let it drop
Somehow you'll get free
He said the Americans would bargain and rescue
But when Brits get caught they're left to rot
Under a Beirut, under the Beirut Moon