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1.
Dragonfly 05:11
Oh along the water along the meadow's edge I see you flying with the sunlight I see you flying with the wind Old dragon where are you going Old dragon where have you been Old wisdom of your wings Tell me your stories of eternity Dragonfly how you come and go short lived wonder what did you know of this high mountain pass ----x Dragonfly you're dead on the snow how did you come so high did you leave your seed child in a mountain pool before you died ----x (poem by Gary Snyder) Now you're making love with another together you go tumbling through the air another sweet child of the valley is born another sweet child born in the dragon's lair.
2.
This job I got is just a little too hard Runnin' out of money lord I need more to pay Gonna wake up in the morning lord I'm gonna pack my bags Gonna beat it on down the line. Goin' down the line, goin' down the line Goin' down the line, goin' down the line Goin' down the line, Gonna beat it on down the line Goin' down the line, Gonna beat it on down the line Yeah I'll be waitin' at the station lord when that train rolls on by Goin' back where I belong I'm going up north to that same ol' used to be Way down in Joe Brown's coal mine Coal mine, coal mine Coal mine, coal mine Coal mine, way down in Joe Browns coal mine Coal mine, way down in Joe Browns coal mine Yeah I'm goin' back to that shack way across the railroad track Goin' back where I belong Got a sweet woman lord she's a-waitin' there for me That's where I'm gonna make my happy home Happy home, happy home Happy home, happy home Happy home, that's where I'm gonna make my happy home Happy home, that's where I'm gonna make my happy home
3.
I ain’t got no use I ain’t got no use For your red rocking chair I got no sugar baby now I got no sugar honey baby now Who’ll rock the cradle Who’ll rock the cradle Who’ll sing my song Who’ll rock the cradle when I’m gone Who’ll rock the cradle when I’m gone I’ll rock the cradle I’ll rock the cradle I’ll sing your song I’ll rock the cradle when you’re gone I’ll rock the cradle when you’re gone Some rounder come along Some rounder come along With his mouth full of gold Rounder stole my greenback away Rounder stole my greenback away I laid him in the shade I laid him in the shade Gave him every dime I made What else was a poor girl to do What else was a poor girl to do
4.
The same cold wind blowin' against my window The same cold wind comin' out of the dark night The same cold wind keeps cryin' and cryin' You're never gonna get it right. Don't even try you're too old and tired Don't even try you might as well lay down and die Don't even try and don't you know, You're never gonna get it right. Never gonna get it right Never gonna get it right no no You're never gonna get it right and don't ya know You're never gonna get it right. The same old time keeps roundin' and roundin' The same old rhyme "I can't never depend on you" The same old story weary with tellin' You're never gonna get it right. Never gonna get it right Never gonna get it right no no You're never gonna get it right and don't ya know You're never gonna get it right.
5.
Oh this feeling is in my feet Oh this walking's in my heartbeat Oh this living's in my hands Carry it with me on my back. For Miles and Miles Strip me of my trials and Let me go. Oh I've been worried and I've been restless And I've been thinking that all the worst is Yet to come, down on me, Bend my will and bury me deep. For Miles and Miles Strip me of my trials and Let me go. Oh how this mountain fills my eyes How it throws me right through the sky into the air of another valley into the time of a timeless day. For Miles and Miles Strip me of my trials and Let me go.
6.
Music by Ernie Carpenter Words by Sharon Martinson You dam my river You flood my farm You dam my river You flood my home I've got no other place I can go to So forever will I roam. The water's rising The birds are flying They're trying to get To higher ground I've got no other place I can go to So forever will I roam. *We took this land From all it’s people We took these people From their land They’ve got no other Place they can go to So forever will they roam *new, unrecorded verse
7.
Oh my darlin' Oh my darlin' Oh my darlin' do you hear me call your name Gone across the mountain Gone into the sun Gone but I'm coming back again When the rivers run. Oh my darlin' Oh my darlin' Oh my darlin' do you hear me call your name Gone out on the road Dust in my face Gone but I'm coming back again When the rivers run. Oh my darlin' Oh my darlin' Oh my darlin' do you hear me call your name What a night just to hold you What a night just to laugh I've been gone too long But I'm comin' back Oh my darlin' Oh my darlin' Oh my darlin' do you hear me call your name
8.
Chorus Lost all my money but a two dollar bill Two dollar bill, boys, two dollar bill Lost all my money but a two dollar bill I’m on my long journey home Cloudy in the West, and it looks like rain Looks like rain boys, looks like rain Cloudy in the West, and it looks like rain I’m on my long journey home Chorus Black smoke arising, surely is a train surely is a train boys, surely is a train Black smoke arising, surely is a train I’m on my long journey home Chorus Homesick and lonesome, feeling kinda blue feeling kinda blue boys, feeling kinda blue Homesick and lonesome, feeling kinda blue I’m on my long journey home Chorus Startin’ to rain and I’ve got to go Got to go home boys, got to go home Startin’ to rain and I’ve got to go I’m on my long journey home Chorus
9.
Waterbound 03:46
Chicken crowing in the old pine tree Chicken crowing in the old pine tree Chicken crowing in the old pine tree Down in North Carolina Chorus Waterbound and I can’t get home Waterbound and I can’t get home Waterbound and I can’t get home Way down in North Carolina Say old man I want your daughter Say old man I want your daughter Say old man I want your daughter Down in North Carolina Chorus Tell me boy what you want her for Tell me boy what you want her for Tell me boy what you want her for Why you want my daughter Chorus Share my bread and carry my water Share my bread and carry my water Share my bread and carry my water That’s why I want your daughter Chorus If you don’t let her go we’re gonna run away If you don’t let her go we’re gonna run away If you don’t let her go we’re gonna run away Away from North Carolina Chorus Old man’s mad and I don’t care Old man’s mad and I don’t care Old man’s mad and I don’t care As long as I get his daughter Chorus Get up Jenny and let’s go home Get up Jenny and let’s go home Get up Jenny and let’s go home Before the water rises Chorus
10.
Well this old walkin' river only rolls in the spring yeah this old walkin' river only rolls in the spring Nothin' but boulders to catch the falling leaves This old walkin' river only rolls in the spring. The cottonwoods lean on the willow and the birch sometimes Yeah the cottonwoods lean on the willow and the birch sometimes Hear their morning wind song as the sun warms up the sky The cottonwoods lean on the willow and the birch sometimes. Well a flood swept the canyon not too many years ago Yeah a flood swept the canyon not too many years ago It moved the mountains, tore out the road A flood swept the canyon not too many years ago. But the men and machines they worked all night and day The men and machines they worked all night and day They put back the mountains, rebuilt the road just the same The men and machines they worked all night and day. But the way this river talks you know it won't be long The way this river talks you know it won't be long Before she roars again, sings her swollen song The way this river talks you know it won't be long. So I'm just gonna sit and watch this river roll I'm just gonna sit and watch this river roll Let it float my mind, see what settles out below I'm just gonna sit and watch this river roll. Cause this old walkin' river only rolls in the spring This old walkin' river only rolls in the spring Nothin' but boulders to catch the falling leaves This old walkin' river only rolls in the spring.
11.
Steam engine 03:07
I turned my back some 10 years ago And hopped the tracks down to Mexico Steam Engine, burning coal, I won't ride you no more. Across this country, across this land Children going hungry and workers going mad Steam engine, burning coal, I won't ride you no more. Tax the poor and give back to the rich It's all trickled us down into this big ditch Steam engine, burning coal, I won't ride you no more. Out on the coast I'm away from the man I find myself living on a wild piece of land Steam engine, burning coal, I won't ride you no more.
12.
Spring '10 06:14
Blue moonlight shines down upon the green leaves Flowers are budding but I know you're bound to leave Me alone, but smiling Alone, but free Nothing lasts forever on this road rolling away from me. Dreams are falling, like stars tonight I know they're nothing but trouble but for now that's just fine I ain't blind, I want double I ain't blind, I just don't want to see Nothing is forever on this road rolling away from me. City lights and mountainsides Ocean breeze and redwood trees Familiar faces and empty spaces Desert sage burns another page Abandon expectations, expectations abandon me. Spring is-a-blossomin', like a kiss upon your cheek I'm drunk on your cold clear water but I know you're bound to leave me alone, but smiling Thirsty but free Nothing lasts forever on this road rolling away from me. City lights and mountainsides Ocean breeze and redwood trees Familiar faces and empty spaces Desert sage burns another page Abandon expectations, expectations abandon me.
13.
I'm going across the sea stay forever more Left my little darlin' standing on the shore Chorus Won't you come and go come and go with me Fly away my pretty little miss I'm going across the sea Winds are howling low winds are howling high won’t you be my darling til the day I die Chorus Would you give a nickel would you give a dime Would you give one dollar bill Call your name as mine Chorus Donie, Donie, Donie What makes your face so red Working in the field, son gotta fever in my head Chorus As my mama told me It has come to pass Roaming and a rambling girl Be you’re ruin at last Chorus

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Recorded "live" in start to finish takes, including the thunder on Dragonfly. Just two mics in a beautiful room in the mountains of the Sierra Nevada - The Kirkwood House.

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released October 1, 2010

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The Littlest Birds Laramie, Wyoming

The Littlest Birds is the banjo-driven music of and Sharon Martinson, performing both solo concerts and currently with several duo and trio configurations. "Think instrumental virtuosity balanced by a breezy, backwoods soul, music that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally soothing."
- Dan Bolles, Seven Days Weekly, Burlington VT, 2011
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