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Migrations

by The Littlest Birds

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davidmerry
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davidmerry singing, cello and banjo all build up image of freedom and space

Favorite track: Boys 'em Buzzards Flyin'.
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1.
My Friends I'll tell you the story of my life if you wish, but if it were only the story, of my life, I think I would not tell it For what is one man to make much of his winters, when so many others men have lived to become grass upon the hills. But if the vision was true and mighty As I know it is true and mighty yet For such things are of the spirit and it is the darkness of their eyes that men forget So I know it is a good thing but no good can be done alone I must first send a voice to the spirits of the world. With visible breath I am walking A voice I am sending as I walk In a sacred manner I am walking In a sacred manner I walk. I was born a Lakota, in the moon of the Popping Trees I was named for my father Black Elk, it was 1863 The summer I was nine, I had a Great Vision, the meaning of which no words can I ever tell to you, but the six Grandfathers, they gave me the power, they gave me the knowledge to Heal and to Help. With visible breath I am walking A voice I am sending as I walk In a sacred manner I am walking In a sacred manner I walk. I was at the Little Big Horn and I was at Wounded Knee I did not know how much had ended then but now I can see The butchered men, women, and children, lying scattered in heaps Were not the only dead that day, there died a Peoples Dream So hear me Great Spirit, hear me Grandfathers, with running tears I must tell to you that your tree has not flowered Hear me for my people that they may yet return to living within the sacred hoop, that they sacred tree may yet bloom In sorrow...I am sending...this feeble voice that I can give... Ohhhh Six Powers of the World, won't you make my people live. Ohhhh Six Powers of the World, won't you make my people live.
2.
Out on the western trail For many days we did ride Along the banks of a lonesome river Singing songs by the fireside. This way we crossed the empty prarie And we crossed the river wide And we crossed the barren desert Where so many others have died And now we stand upon the South Pass Looking west from the Great Divide All our hopes and our fortunes Lie beyond the horizon line. Oh we've got one foot in tomorrow We've got one foot in yesterday We've got one step still before us Oh Lord to you we pray. It's a hard road we've got to travel With deep ruts of despair Give us strength and give us health now Give us no trouble beyond repair And now we stand upon the South Pass Looking west from the Great Divide All our hopes and our fortunes Lie beyond the horizon line. Oh we've got one foot in tomorrow We've got one foot in yesterday We've got one step still before us Give us Hope and Give Us Strength.
3.
Anochecer 04:52
I’m going home, this road has been so long, The darkest part of night is just before the dawn, Just before the dawn, I’m going home The water’s calm, the shore a rugged one And yet under this moon I know I must go on Know I must go on, I’m going home Each grain of sand, knows from whence it came Its history brings it back to its own mountain To its own mountain, I’m going home I’ve gone so far, this year has been so long, In total darkness I can still find my way home Still find my way home, I’m going home Beyond my sense, beyond sensibility It’s in my bones, I know where I must be Know where I must be, I’m going home I’ve spread my wings, be gone for a little while But I’ll return one day if I go 10,000 miles If I go 10, 000 miles, I’m going home
4.
Colorado 03:45
Driving down the road in my truck, Keeping the shiny side up I’m on my way back home Drove into this mountain town Snow softly falling down Sitting here feeling so alone I drove across Wyoming’s plains Through the sheets of pouring rain ‘Til I hit the Rockies high Shifting down to make the pass And I’m stepping on the gas Colorado hello and good-bye Chorus: But this town is not my home I know must carry on Mountains course through my veins Pines whisper a song You belong You belong I see the faces of my friends But this time will surely end ‘cause I’m always moving on Maybe I’ll stay for just a while Oh, this place makes me smile I feel like I could belong Sunrise fills the eastern sky Memories flood my mind With gentle thoughts of him Long past days and nights of love Sleeping under stars above I’m wishing I could see that face again Chorus: Road stretches long in front of me For as long as I can see As the fields roll on my Days and nights they string along As I drive and sing my song Colorado hello and goodbye
5.
Instrumental.
6.
Oh Great Ocean give me a melody Oh Great Fire burn down to just the right key Blue mountains always walking gently into the sea Humans always talking what and why it should be But there are no answers to all your questions now All that you can find are only illusions yeah. Oh Great River leave me in the valley now Oh Great Valley leave me in the grass awhile Clouds will march by like elephants Thoughts will sing songs like birds Words and words will come tumbling down They'll roll right by without a sound Oh Great Time give me a minute more Gonna slip right back lay right down with my love some more. Oh Great Tree tell me a story now Oh Great Story pick me up don't let me down Carry me out to an island Drift me back inside a glass Find me somewhere looking for myself Find me someone to live with at last Oh Great Coincidence you got my confidence Oh Great Chaos will not betray us. Repeat first verse, and Oh Great Time ...
7.
Way up high, way up high, way up high Buzzards flying, something must be dead Way up high, way up high, way up high Buzzards flying, something must be dead Ain’t it sad Some little critter dead on the road Boys ‘em buzzards flyin’ Some little critter dead on the road Boys ‘em buzzards flyin’ Way up high, way up high, way up high Buzzards flying, something must be dead Way up high, way up high, way up high Buzzards flying, something must be dead Ain’t they glad Some little critter dead on the road Boys ‘em buzzards flyin’ Some little critter dead on the road Boys ‘em buzzards flyin’
8.
Moonshiner 04:50
I've been a moonshiner Since’n I was been born Drunk up all my money Stilled up all my corn, I go up to some dark hollow Set my moonshine still Make you one gallon For a two dollar bill I’ll go up some dark holler And make you some booze If the revenuer don’t find me No money will I loose That revenuer don’t own me And I won’t pay his till I’ll spend my days moonshining And I guess I always will That revenuer tells me He knows wrong from right There’s a seal across his bottle His money’s locked up tight Come all you moonshiners Stand out in a line If trouble don’t kill you You’ll live a long time. Let me eat when I am hungry Drink when I am dry A dollar when I got none Religion when I die This whole world is just a bottle Life's but a dram When the bottle gets empty Life ain’t worth a damn Come all you pretty women Wishin’ you was mine Their breath smells sweetly Like dew on the vine I’ve been a moonshiner Seven lonely years If trouble don’t kill me You’ll still find me here
9.
Oh Loss, Oh Sorrow Will I feel alive tomorrow Or will I die and have to borrow just a few of your tears right to my grave Oh she's gone maybe forever I don't know if I can let her Go alone or with another But she looks at me like a history Chorus: Oh Loss, Oh Sorrow Will I feel alive tomorrow Or will I die and have to borrow just a few of your tears right to my grave If I could walk back that day I walked away If I could take back all those mistakes that I made Then maybe I could look back on my life And my heart wouldn't feel so full of shame Chorus How can I go on livin' With this empty soul that I've been given Oh I've drivin' to the heart of the wind I'm just prayin' she'll blow me back in. Chorus
10.
I hear rain on the roof Like popcorn in a pan It’s cold as a witch’s gap tooth And I know it’s winter all over again I hear rain on the roof As I sit here by the fire A cold wind’s blowin’ under my door And winter is making my tired Chorus I hear rain on the roof, I hear rain on the roof, I hear rain on the roof And I know I’m just a drunken fool Yeah I know, but what else can I do So much rain I hear rain on the roof And I know it ain’t gonna stop Until I hear a million barrels drop And I think the earth might pop I hear rain on the roof And a’squishing in my shoes I haven’t seen the sun for days And you know, I’m getting the blues Chorus I hear rain on the roof Like a million hand applause And I know they’re all clapping for me As I go clowning up and down the hall I hear rain on the roof Rain on the window pane Rain is soaking through my soul And filling up my brain Chorus: I hear rain on the roof Drumming down down down And I’m looking for the 80 proof So I can pour myself another round The birds have all flown home The patter of a million feet And I’m sitting in here, drinking alone Chorus So much rain, so much rain, so much rain
11.
Long ago I left my home, walked west across the land Long ago I left my home, for the river and the pan Long ago I left my home, with nothing here I stand Old ghost of the gold, with a rifle in my hand. Chorus: Well you got slow boats and you got fast trains You got rich folks and you got poor You got plenty happy with nothing You got everything begging for more And they all end up here On this far western shore Pilgrims on the golden trail Just diggin' a hole Forever more. Long ago I been told ought never come back again Long ago I been told these mountains'll break weak men But if the mountains don't get you boy, nor the whiskey, nor the women The gold is surely yours alone, for the takin. Chorus Long ago my luck turned cold and I never did strike again Long ago the woman I loved left me for another man Long ago I packed my load off deep into the mountains Old ghost of the gold I'm never comin' back again. Chorus
12.
Chorus Ancient one, what have you seen Could you tell a tale to me The years have come and gone And still you’re standing strong I can see by the scars Fires have found you here Deep and swollen burls Tell of long and painful years Chorus Hands of time have slowly turned And the land around you, too Hands of man have left their mark Some that time cannot undo Chorus In your years you seem so wise From all that you have seen But in your youth were you like us Reckless and free Chorus Crashing of the waves A whisper in your bows Gently filtered lights Deep and fertile smells Chorus
13.
Old Rueben had a train Put on the track Run it to the Lord knows where Oh me, oh my run it to the lord knows where Rueben had a train From Wyoming to Maine Lord you could hear that whistle blow Oh me, oh my, lord you could hear that whistle blow Rueben had a train, hundred coaches long Couldn’t get a letter from his home Oh me, oh my couldn’t get a letter from his home I’m 900 miles from my man and from my girl Lord I’m a long way from home Oh me, oh my, lord I’m a long way from home If this train she runs alright, I’ll be home about daylight Lord I’m a long way from home Oh me, oh my lord I’m a long way from home Rueben went to town, police shot him down Could hear old Rueben yell a hundred miles Oh me, oh my, could hear old Rueben yell a hundred miles They found his head in the driving wheel, But his poor body never was found Oh me, oh my, Poor Reuben’s body never was found There’s an empty set of track, ne’er a train runs down Sometimes you’ll hear a whistle blow Oh me, oh my sometimes you’ll hear a whistle blow ‘Cause old Rueben has a train from Wyoming to Maine Sometimes you’ll hear his whistle blow.
14.
Oh all the money that e’r I spent I spent it in good company And all the harm that e’r I done Alas it was to none but me And all I’ve done, for want of wit To memory now I can’t recall So fill to me the parting glass Goodnight and joy be with you all Oh all the comrades e’r I had Ere sorry for my going away And all the sweethearts e’r I had, Would wish me one more day to stay But since it falls, until my lot That I should rise and you should not I’ll gently rise, and softly call Goodnight and joy be with you all.

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released October 14, 2011

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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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