Bruce Springsteen : We Shall Overcome : the Seeger Sessions
Lyrics
1. OLD DAN TUCKER
Old Dan Tucker was a fine old man,
Washed his face in a fryin' pan,
Combed his head with a wagon wheel,
Died with a toothache in his heel
So get out the way, old Dan Tucker,
It's too late to get your supper
Supper's over and dinner is cookin',
Old Dan Tucker just standin' there lookin'
Old Dan Tucker come to town
Swingin' the ladies round and round
First to the right, then to the left,
Then to the one that you love best
Old Dan Tucker clumb a tree
His Lord and master for to see
The limb it broke and he had a fall,
Never got to see his Lord at all
Old Dan Tucker come to town,
Riding a billy goat, leading a hound
The hound dog barked and the billy goat jumped
And it threw old Dan right over a stump
Old Dan Tucker was a fine old man,
Washed his face in a fryin' pan,
Combed his head with a wagon wheel,
Died with a toothache in his heel
So get out the way, old Dan Tucker,
It's too late to get your supper
Supper's over and the dishes are washed
All that's left is a piece of squash
2. JESSIE JAMES
Jesse James and his boys rode that Dodge City Trail,
Held up the midnight Southern mail,
And there never was a man with the law in his hand
That could keep Jesse James in a jail.
It was Frank and Jesse James that killed many a man,
But they never was outlaws at heart;
I wrote this song to tell you how it come
That Frank and Jesse James got their start.
They was living on a farm in the old Missouri hills,
With a silver-haired mother and a home;
Now the railroad bullies come to chase them off their land,
But they found that Frank and Jesse wouldn't run.
Then a railroad scab, he went and got a bomb,
And he throwed it at the door
And it killed Mrs. James a-sleeping in her bed,
So Jesse grabbed a big forty-four.
Yes, Frank and Jesse James was men that was game
To stop that high-rolling train --
And to shoot down the rat that killed Mrs. James,
They was Two-Gun Frank and Jesse James.
Now a bastard and coward called little Robert Ford,
He claimed he was Frank and Jesse's friend,
Made love to Jesse's wife and he took Jesse's life,
And he laid poor Jesse in his grave.
The people were surprised when Jesse lost his life,
Wondered how he ever came to fall,
Robert Ford, it's a fact, shot Jesse in the back,
While Jesse hung a picture on the wall.
They dug Jesse's grave and a stone they raised,
It says, "Jesse James lies here --
Was killed by a man, a bastard and a coward,
Whose name ain't worthy to appear."
3. MRS. MC GRATH
"Mrs McGraw," the captain said,
"would you like to make a pirate
Out of your son, Ted?
With a scarlet cloak and a great cocked hat,
Mrs McGraw wouldn't you like that?"
With me too-rye-ay
Foddle-diddle-day
With me toorye oorye oorye-ay
With me toorye-ay
Foddle diddle day
Me toorye oorye oorye-ay
Mrs McGraw lived on the seashore
For the length of seven long years or more
When a great big ship sailed into the bay
"It's my son Ted with his legs away"
Then up comes Ted without any legs
And in their place are two wooden pegs
She kissed him a dozen times or two
Saying "My son Ted is it really you?"
"O were you drunk or were you blind
When you left your two fine legs behind?
Or was it walking on the sea
That cut your legs from the knees away?"
"I wasn't drunk and I wasn't blind
When I left my two fine legs behind
But a cannon ball on the fifth of May
Cut my two fine legs from the knees away"
"All foreign war, I do proclaim
Between Don John and the King of Spain
But by jaze I'll make them rue the time
They stole the legs from a son of mine"
4. OH, MARY, DON'T YOU WEEP
Oh, Mary, don't you weep, don't you mourn
Oh, Mary, don't you weep, don't you mourn
Didn't Pharaoh's army get drownded?
Oh, Mary, don't you weep
Well, Satan got mad and he knows I'm glad
Missed that soul that he thought he had
Now, didn't Pharaoh's army get drownded?
Oh, Mary, don't you weep
Oh, Mary, don't you weep, don't you mourn
Oh, Mary, don't you weep, don't you mourn
Didn't Pharaoh's army get drownded?
Oh, Mary, don't you weep
Well, one of these nights around twelve o'clock,
This old town's gonna really rock
Didn't Pharaoh's army get drownded?
Oh, Mary, don't you weep
Oh, Mary, don't you weep, don't you mourn
Oh, Mary, don't you weep, don't you mourn
Didn't Pharaoh's army get drownded?
Oh, Mary, don't you weep
Cheer up, sisters and don't you cry
There'll be good times bye and bye
Didn't Pharaoh's army get drownded?
Oh, Mary, don't you weep
5. JOHN HENRY
When John Henry was a little baby
Sittin' on his daddy's knee
Said the big Ben Tuttle of the C &O Road,
"The hammer's gonna be the death of thee, lord, lord
The hammer's gonna be the death of thee"
John Henry said to his captain,
"A man ain't nothing' but a man
Before I let this steam drill beat me down
I'll die with a hammer in my hand, lord, lord,
I'll die with a hammer in my hand"
Well, the man who invented the steam drill
Thought he was mighty fine
But John Henry drove about fifteen feet
And the steam drill only made nine, lord, lord,
The steam drill only made nine
John Henry said to his preacher,
"Man, why don't you pray,
'cause if I miss with this nine pound hammer
Tomorrow be my buryin' day lord, lord,
Tomorrow be my buryin' day
John Henry swung the hammer over his head
He brought the hammer down to the ground
A man in Chantanooga two hundred miles away
Said, "Listen to the rumblin' sound, lord, lord,
Listen to that rumblin' sound"
They took John Henry to the graveyard,
Buried him in the hot sand
Now every locomotive comes rollin' by says,
"There lies a steel-drivin' man, lord, lord,
There lies a steel drivin' man!"
6. ERIE CANAL
I've got a mule, and her name is Sal,
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal.
She's a good ol' worker an' a good ol' pal,
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal.
We've hauled some barges in our day,
Filled with lumber, coal, and hay,
And we know every inch of the way
From Albany to Buffalo.
Low bridge, everybody down!
Low bridge, for we're comin' through a town!
And you'll always know your neighbor,
You'll always know your pal,
If you've ever navigated on the Erie Canal.
We'd better look around for a job, ol' gal,
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal!
'Cause you bet your life I'd never part with Sal,
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal!
Git up there, mule, here comes a lock,
We'll make Rome 'bout six o'clock,
One more trip and back we'll go
Right back home to Buffalo.
7. JACOB'S LADER
We are climbing Jacob's ladder
We are climbing Jacob's ladder
We are climbing Jacob's ladder
Brothers, sisters, all
Every rung goes higher and higher
Every rung goes higher and higher
Every rung goes higher and higher
Brothers, sisters, all
We are dancing Sarah's circle
We are dancing Sarah's circle
We are dancing Sarah's circle
Sisters, brothers, all
Every round a generation
Every round a generation
Every round a generation
Sisters, brothers, all
We are climbing Jacob's ladder
We are climbing Jacob's ladder
We are climbing Jacob's ladder
Brothers, sisters, all
8. MY OKLAHOMA HOME
When they opened up the strip I was young and full of zip,
I wanted a place to call my own
And so I made the race, and staked me out a place,
And settled down along the Cimarron
It blowed away, it blowed away,
My Oklahoma home, it blowed away
It looked so green and fair when I built my shanty there,
But my Oklahoma home, it blowed away
I planted wheat and oats, got some chickens and some shoats,
Aimed to have some ham and eggs to feed my face
Got a mule to pull the plow, got an old red muley cow
And got a fancy mortgage on the place
It blowed away, it blowed away,
All the crops I planted blowed away
You can't grow any grain if there isn't any rain;
All except the mortgage blowed away
It blowed away my rooster and it blowed away my hens;
The pigs and cattle went astray
All the crops that I sowed went a-foggin' down the road
My Oklahoma farm, it blowed away
It blowed away, it blowed away,
Everything I owned blowed away
I hollered and I cussed when my land went up in dust,
When my Oklahoma farm, it blowed away
It looked so green and fair, when I built my shanty there,
I figured I was all set for life
I put on my Sunday best with my fancy scalloped vest
And went to town and picked me out a wife
She blowed away, she blowed away
My Oklahoma woman blowed away
Just as I bent and kissed her, she was picked up by a twister;
My Oklahoma woman blowed away
Then I was left alone a-listenin' to the moan
Of the wind around the corners of my shack;
So I took off down the road when the south wind blowed,
A-travelin' with the wind at my back
I blowed away, I blowed away
Chasin' a dust cloud up ahead
Once it looked so green and fair, now it's up there in the air;
My Oklahoma farm is overhead
Now I'm always close to home no matter where I roam,
For Oklahoma dust is everywhere
Makes no difference where I'm walkin', I can hear my chickens squawkin'
I can hear my wife a-talkin' in the air
It blowed away, it blowed away,
My Oklahoma home blowed away
But my home is always near; it's in the atmosphere,
My Oklahoma home that blowed away
I'm a roamin' Oklahoman, but I'm always close to home
And I'll never get homesick 'til I die
No matter where I'm found, my home is all around;
My Oklahoma home is in the sky
It blowed away, it blowed away,
My farm down upon the Cimarron
But all around the world, wherever dust is whirled,
Some is from my Oklahoma home
[Spare Tire Chorus:]
It blowed away, it blowed away,
My Oklahoma home blowed away
Oh it's up there in the sky in that dust cloud rolling by,
My Oklahoma home is in the sky
9. EYES ON THE PRIZE
Paul and Silas were bound in jail
Had no Money for to go their bail
Keep your eyes on the prize
Hold on! Hold on!
Hold on! Keep your Eyes on the Prize
Hold on! Hold on!
Keep your Eyes on the Prize, hold on!
Paul and Silas began to shout
Doors popped open, and they walked out
Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on
Hold on! Hold on!
Keep your Eyes on the Prize, hold on!
Well, the only chains that we can stand
Are the chains of hand in hand
Keep your eyes on the prize
Hold on! Hold on!
Keep your Eyes on the Prize, hold on!
Got my hand on the freedom plow
Wouldn't take nothing for my journey now
Keep your eyes on the prize
Hold on! Hold on!
Keep your Eyes on the Prize, hold on!
Hold on! Hold on! Hold on! Hold on!
10. SHENANDOAH
The Missouri, she's a might river
Away you rolling river
The red man's camp lies on her borders
Away, we're bound away across the wide
Missouri
A white man loved an Indian maiden
Away you rolling river
With notions sweet his canoe was laden
Away, we're bound away across the wide
Missouri
O Shenandoah, I love your daughter
Away you rolling river
I'll take her 'cross the rolling water
Away, we're bound away across the wide
Missouri
The chief disdained the trader's dollars
Away you rolling river
My daughter never you shall follow
Away, we're bound away across the wide
Missouri
At last there came a Yankee skipper
Away you rolling river
He winked his eye, and he tipped his flipper
Away, we're bound away across the wide
Missouri
He sold the chief that fire-water
Away you rolling river
And 'cross the river he stole his daughter
Away, we're bound away across the wide
Missouri
O Shenandoah, I long to hear you
Away you rolling river
Across the wide and rolling water
Away, we're bound away across the wide
Missouri
11. PAY ME MY MONEY DOWN
I though I heard the Captain say,
Pay me my money down,
Tomorrow is our sailing day,
Pay me my money down
Oh pay me, oh pay me,
Pay me my money down,
Pay me or go to jail,
Pay me my money down
As soon as the boat was clear of the bar,
Pay me my money down,
The captain knocked me down with a spar,
Pay me my money down
Oh pay me, oh pay me,
Pay me my money down,
Pay me or go to jail,
Pay me my money down
I wish I was Mr Steven's son,
Pay me my money down,
Sit in the shade and watch the work done,
Pay me my money down
Oh pay me, oh pay me,
Pay me my money down,
Pay me or go to jail,
Pay me my money down
I wish I was Mr Howard's son,
Pay me my money down,
Sit in the shade and drink good rum,
Pay me my money down
Oh pay me, oh pay me,
Pay me my money down,
Pay me or go to jail,
Pay me my money down
Oh pay me, oh pay me,
Pay me my money down,
Pay me or go to jail,
Pay me my money down
12. WE SHALL OVERCOME
We shall overcome
We shall overcome
We shall overcome some day
Oh, deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome some day
We'll walk hand in hand
We'll walk hand in hand
We'll walk hand in hand some day
Oh, deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome some day
We shall all be free
We shall all be free
We shall all be free some day
Oh, deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome some day
We are not afraid
We are not afraid
We are not afraid some day
Oh, deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome some day
We are not alone
We are not alone
We are not alone some day
Oh, deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome some day
The whole wide world around
The whole wide world around
The whole wide world around some day
Oh, deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome some day
We shall overcome
We shall overcome
We shall overcome some day
Oh, deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome some day
13. FROGGIE WENT A-COURTIN'
Froggie went a-courtin' and he did ride, a - huh
Froggie went a-courtin' and he did ride, a - huh
Froggie went a-courtin' and he did ride
Sword and pistol by his side, a - huh, a - huh, fare the well
Well he rode down to Miss Mouse's door
Where he had often been before
He took Miss Mousie on his knee
Said "Miss Mousie will you marry me"
I'll have to ask my Uncle Rat
See what he will say to that
Well, Uncle Rat laughed and shook his fat sides
To think his niece would be a bride
Well, Uncle Rat rode off to town
To buy his niece a wedding gown
Where will the wedding supper be
Way down yonder in a hollow tree
What will the wedding supper be
A fried misquito and a roasted flea
First to come in were to little ants
Fixing around to have a dance
Next to come in was a bumble bee
Bouncing a fiddle on his knee
Next to come in was a fat sassy lad
Thinks himself as big as his dad
Thinks himself a man indeed
Because he chews the tobacco weed
And next to come in was a big tomcat
He swallowed the frog and the mouse and the rat
14. BUFFALO GALS
As I was walking down the street
Down the street, down the street
A pretty girl I chanced to meet
And we danced by the light of the moon
Buffalo gals won't you come out tonight
Come out tonight come out tonight
Buffalo gals won't you come out tonight
And we'll dance by the light of the moon
I danced with a gal with a hole in her stocking
And he knees was a-knockin' and her shoes was a'rockin'
I danced with a gal with a hole in her stocking
And we danced by the light of the moon
Buffalo gals won't you come out tonight
Come out tonight come out tonight
Buffalo gals won't you come out tonight
And we'll dance by the light of the moon
I danced with a gal with a hole in her stocking
And her knees was a-knockin' and her shoes was a-rockin'
I danced with a gal with a hole in her stocking
And we danced by the light of the moon
15. HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING
My life flows on in endless song
Above earth's lamentation
I hear the real, thought far off hymn
That hails the new creation
Above the tumult and the strife,
I hear the music ringing;
It sounds an echo in my soul
How can I keep from singing?
What through the tempest loudly roars,
I hear the truth, it liveth
What through the darkness round me close,
Songs in the night it giveth
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that rock I'm clinging
Since love is lord of Heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing?
When tyrants tremble, sick with fear,
And hear their death-knell ringing,
When friends rejoice both far and near,
How can I keep from singing?
In prison cell and dungeon vile
Our thoughts to them are winging
When friends by shame are undefiled,
How can I keep from singing?
lyrics added by MakraM - Modify this lyrics