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THERE IS A DIRT ROAD ©2013
There is a dirt road in the back of my mind
I traveled far and wide, for a long old time
Miles and miles
My poor legs sore
I’ve been to hell and back
But I forgot what I was looking for
But I forgot what I was looking for
There is a dirt road in the back of my mind
and it winds around and 'round in and out of time
A curtain covered window
Behind every locked door
A candle’s burning
And I forgot what I was looking for
I forgot what I was looking for
CHORUS
The end of hard luck is around the corner
but there’s a corner around every corner
Life has its turns in a spinning world
and it’s hard to walk a straight line (x2)
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2. |
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instrumental © 2013
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3. |
Daddy Was a Dirt Farmer
03:11
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DADDY WAS A DIRT FARMER ©2012
My daddy was a dirt farmer, he raised dust and mud
when he wasn’t praying for rain, he broke his back in the sun
chorus:
Broken tractor in the barn, fence needs mending in the field
Foxes in the chicken coop, the mud is getting deep
Trying to scratch out a living, on a bean farm in Tennessee
didn’t have money for hired hands, just my momma, my brother, and me
chorus [possums]
We worked the land, and pushed the plow, with very little means
ham and biscuits on Sunday morning, every other meal was beans
chorus [black snake]
chorus [coyotes]
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4. |
Strawman
04:11
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SCARECROW AT THE CROSSROADS ©2013
On a corner of a crossroads hangs a scarecrow with a plan
scaring away the crows but shaking many hands
His head is stuffed with straw, his words butter up the bread
his smooth talk lulls the listless, as the crops lie dying and dead
chorus:
Strawman take our vote to town, save us and our homes
but after all, you’re only stuffed with straw
and we are on our own
He hands out praise and talking points, and swears he will save us all
he slathers words so eloquent, we forget he is made of straw
his head is stuffed with dollar bills, his words butter up the bread
his smooth talk lulls the listless, and the crops lie dying and dead
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5. |
Truth Is for Fools
04:14
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THE TRUTH IS FOR FOOLS ©2013
There was a man with only one hand, he played in a band
he played guitar, but no-one could hear him
There was a kid who had no head, spent a lot of time in bed
listening to the Dead, although he had no ears
chorus:
And the truth is for fools, don’t seek out what makes you unhappy
You can search until you’re blue, maybe it’s in your backyard (x2)
There was a woman, her name was Doris, she had no voice
but it was out of choice, though she was singing most of the time anyway
There was a writer, she was a fighter, ran out of words, no nouns and verbs
she wrote stories but had no clue what she was trying to say
chorus
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6. |
Jesus Cried
03:16
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JESUS CRIED © 2013
There is an old rugged cross on an old rugged hill
People gather on Sunday for their souls to heal
They lie and cheat on Monday and do all they can
to pry that mighty dollar from their fellow man
chorus
And Judas gave Jesus a kiss on the cheek
and the betrayal lives on from those that preach
about a god who is so far out of reach
they wave the bible like a flag
John 3:16 says Jesus died for you
but somewhere down the line it’s been misconstrued
If people lived their lives like the good book says
and not try to control how others live instead
chorus
And the shepherd leads the sheep while he picks the pockets of the flock
and the people are inspired from the high and mighty talk
but there is only so much water that a false prophet can walk
in the end its the truth that drowns
chorus
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7. |
Pale Yellow Moon
03:39
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Pale Yellow Moon ©2013
A pale yellow moon shines on a tent on Wall Street
an unemployed man shivers inside
paper dollar millions they get shuffled to and fro
while hungry people huddle and cry
a song on the lips of the helpless
echoes off the windows and the walls
with no money to pay for no justice
they’re trying to change it all
there are those who want to keep things just the same
they have money, they have lawyers to fight this thing
they hide behind walls made of stone, glass, and steel
they just don’t know how real people feel
there’s a fire in a trash can and it glows in the dark
and weather-weary people warm their hands
a glimmer of hope shines behind their eyes
they have come to occupy
they have come to occupy
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8. |
Mountain View
03:52
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MOUNTAIN VIEW ©2011
We drove up to Mountain View
in a beat-up pickup truck
pockets are bare we’re running on fumes
just about run out on luck
chorus
Picking to the trees on the mountainside
trying to beat the devil on a starry night
look up, you can see that old moon shine
down down deep down
down down deep
in the heart of those Ozark hills.
Fiddle and a banjo and a standup bass
looking for a show
ain’t nobody got money to pay
all dressed up with nowhere to go
There’s a man I had to leave behind
his memory’s always on my mind
I’ll do whatever I have to do
to make it back to Mountain View
chorus
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9. |
Midnight Boat
03:37
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MIDNIGHT BOAT © 2013
Midnight boat in the harbor, darkling freight come into town
Black in spirit, like the water, tempting strangers in to drown
Strange sea sailors, dark and hardy, don't want none of you around
Don't show me your evil cargo, leave me peace of mind I've found
chorus:
I am free of your dealings till your ship comes into town
I want to keep that lonely freedom
without your gold chains ringing round
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Pippa Letsky Columbia, Missouri
I was born in England, but I grew up in Canada and Australia. My family came “home” to England when I was 10, but I was already an Aussie at heart, in love with the convict songs from Botany Bay and the same Scotch Irish fiddle tunes as are at the root of American old-time and bluegrass music. I’ve been playing various types of folk music on guitar (mandolin, bass, or fiddle) since I was 12. ... more
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