West Virginia Chose Me CD—Lyrics

 

West Virginia Chose Me (Colleen Anderson)

Someone’s always leaving here, it’s just that kind of place

It’s just that kind of world today you learn to live with loss

The grass is always greener there, just on the other side

The air is always cleaner there, the sky is twice as wide

I’m not the type to argue, I won’t say it isn’t true

It’s just the kind of place for passing through.

 

Tom’s in California now, and John’s up north in Maine

Will went down to Raleigh, says he won’t be back again

Annie’s in Chicago and she likes it by the lake

Even Katie crossed the border, finally made the break

And if I had a dollar for every time I’ve said goodbye

There’s nothing in this world I couldn’t buy.

 

Chorus

But a few of us are staying and it’s not a point of choice

It’s not we who do the choosing we are chosen by the place

And West Virginia Chose Me, sure as my own mother knows me

If I leave you West Virginia, it don’t matter where I roam

I don’t know where I’m going, but I know I’m coming home.

 

They say home is where the heart is, and I guess that’s true enough

But the heart’s a stubborn muscle and there’s no explaining love

I dream of higher mountains, and a cottage by the sea

But West Virginia won’t let go of me.

 

Chorus

And a few of us are staying and it’s not a point of choice

It’s not we who do the choosing we are chosen by the place

And West Virginia Chose Me, sure as my own mother knows me

If I leave you West Virginia, it don’t matter where I roam

I don’t know where I’m going, but I know I’m coming home.

 

Wraggle-Taggle Gypsies (Traditional)

There were three gypsies a’ come to my door

And downstairs ran this a lady-o

One sang high and the other sang low

And the other sang of bonny, bonny Biscaye-o.

 

Then she pulled off her silk finished gown

And out of hose of leather–o

It was the cry all around the door

She’s gone with the wraggle taggle gypsies-o.

 

It was late last night when my Lord came home

Inquiring about his a lady-o

The servants said on every hand

She’s gone with the wraggle-taggle gypsies-o.

 

And then saddle for me my milk white steed

And go fetch me my pony-o

That I may ride and seek my bride

Who’s gone with the wraggle-taggle gypsies-o.

 

Then he rode high and he rode low

He rode through the woods and the copses-o

Until he came to a wide open field

And there he a’spied his a’ lady-o.

 

What makes you leave your house and your land

What makes you leave your money-o

What makes you leave your new wedded Lord

To go with the wraggle-taggle gypsies-o?

 

What care I for my house and my land

What care I for my money-o

What care I for my new wedded Lord?

I’ve gone with the wraggle-taggle gypsies-o.

 

Last night you slept in a goose feather bed

With the sheets turned down so bravely-o

Tonight you’ll lie in a cold open field

Along with the wraggle-taggle gypsies-o.

 

What care I for a goose feather bed

With the sheets turned down so bravely-o?

Tonight I’ll lie in a cold open field

In the arms of my wraggle-taggle gypsy-o.

 

(additional verse by Peggy Longwell)

And they chased the fox and they drank from the brook

That ran through the woods and the copses-o

At night the fire warmed her heart and her soul

In the arms of her wraggle-taggle gypsy-o.

 

River (Bill Staines)

I was born in the path of the winter wind,

I was raised where the mountains are old.

Their springtime waters came dancing down,

And I remember the tales they told.

 

The whistling ways of my younger days

Too quickly have faded on by,

But all of their memories linger on

Like the light in a fading sky.

 

Chorus

River, take me along

In your sunshine, sing me a song

Ever moving, and winding and free;

You rolling old river, you changing old river,

Let's you and me, river, run down to the sea.

 

I've been to the city and back again,

I've been moved by some things that I've learned;

Met a lot of good people and I’ve called them friends

Felt the change when the seasons turned.

 

I've heard all the songs that the children sing,

And listened to love's melodies;

I've felt my own music within me rise

Like the wind in the autumn trees.

 

Chorus

 

Someday when the flowers are blooming still

Someday when the grass is still green

My rolling waters will round the bend

And flow into the open sea.

 

So here's to the rainbow that's followed me here,

And here's to the friends that I know;

And here's to the song that's within me now

I will sing it where'ere I go.

 

Chorus

 

Kilkelly (Peter Jones)

Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 60, my dear and loving son John

Your good friend the schoolmaster

Pat McNamara's so good as to write these words down.

Your brothers have all gone to find work in England,

the house is so empty and sad

The crop of potatoes is sorely infected,

a third to a half of them bad.

And your sister Brigid and Patrick O'Donnell

are going to be married in June.

Your mother says not to work on the railroad

and be sure to come on home soon.

 

Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 70, dear and loving son John

Hello to your Mrs and to your 4 children,

may they grow healthy and strong.

Michael has got in a wee bit of trouble,

I guess that he never will learn.

Because of the dampness there's no turf to speak of

and now we have nothing to burn.

And Brigid is happy, you named a child for her

and now she's got six of her own.

You say you found work, but you don't say

what kind or when you will be coming home.

 

Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 80, dear Michael and John, my sons

I'm sorry to give you the very sad news

that your dear old mother has gone.

We buried her down at the church in Kilkelly,

your brothers and Brigid were there.

You don't have to worry, she died very quickly,

remember her in your prayers.

And it's so good to hear that Michael's returning,

with money he's sure to buy land

For the crop has been poor and the people

are selling at any price that they can.

 

Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 90, my dear and loving son John

I guess that I must be close on to eighty,

it's thirty years since you're gone.

Because of all of the money you send me,

I'm still living out on my own.

Michael has built himself a fine house

and Brigid's daughters have grown.

Thank you for sending your family picture,

they're lovely young women and men.

You say that you might even come for a visit,

what joy to see you again.

 

Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 92, my dear brother John

I'm sorry that I didn't write sooner to tell you that father passed on.

He was living with Brigid, she says he was cheerful

and healthy right down to the end.

Ah, you should have seen him play with

the grandchildren of Pat McNamara, your friend.

And we buried him alongside of mother,

down at the Kilkelly churchyard.

He was a strong and a feisty old man,

considering his life was so hard.

And it's funny the way he kept talking about you,

he called for you in the end.

Oh, why don't you think about coming to visit,

we'd all love to see you again.

 

The Song Will Remain (Steeleye Span)

If I were a singer I'd sing you a song,

A song that would live in your heart forever;

I'd sing it loud and strong,

Every single word,

So that when my life is over,

And I never see you again,

The singer may die but the song will remain.

 

For all I have is gold and silver,

And such things so easy to find,

And that's all I have to leave you,

When I leave you behind.

 

But if I were a singer I'd sing you a song,

A song that would live in your heart forever;

I'd sing it loud and strong,

Every single word,

So that when my life is over,

And I never see you again,

The singer may die but the song will remain.

 

Sailin’ Alone (Si Kahn)

I once saw a ship that drew so tall and it stood on a mountainside

And I was drawn to this tall, tall ship and I sailed on the morning tide

I was wrecked on a foreign shore where the people lived wild and free

With the ones that leaned their backs so strong left out on an empty sea.

 

Chorus

Sailin’ alone on the ocean of life, tossed on a foreign shore

Roll me home safe into my harbor lights I’ll never go sailin’ no more

 

The winds blow hard and the canvas fills, the captain turns of me

There’s a wind that blows from the left hand side and it’s dark and stormy I fear

I longed so hard for the lights of home but the wind blows the waters black

I’m tryin’ to run three sheets to the wind knowin’ I’ll never get back.

 

Sailin’ alone on the ocean of life tossed on a foreign shore

Roll me home safe into my harbor lights, I’ll never go sailin’ no more

 

Repeat chorus

...I’ll never go sailin’ no more

 

John of Dreams (Traditional)

When midnight comes good people homeward tread

Seek now your blankets and your feather bed

Home is a rover, his journey’s over

Yield up the nighttime to old John of Dreams (repeat)

 

Across the hill, the sun has gone astray

Tomorrow’s cares are many dreams away

Home is a rover, his journey’ over

Yield up the darkness to old John of Dreams (repeat)

 

Both man and master in the night are one

All things are equal when the day is done

The prince and the plowman, the slave and the free man

All find their comfort in old John of Dreams (repeat)

 

Now as you sleep the dreams come winging clear

The hawks of morning cannot harm you here

Sleep is a river...goes on forever

And for you boatman, choose old John of Dreams (repeat)