Get all 14 Atwater-Donnelly releases available on Bandcamp and save 10%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of The Boat You Row Atwater-Donnelly 2022, The World Is Old Tonight, Each Other's Story 2011, The Weaver's Bonny 2009, The Halfway Ground 2007, When Winter Calls 2005, The Blackest Crow 2004, And Then I'm Going Home 2001, and 6 more.
1. |
Angel Gabriel
04:23
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Oh my soul, my soul, I'm bound for to rest
In the arms of the angel Gabriel
And I'll climb up the hill and look to the west
I'm crossing over Jordan to the land
And I'll sit me down in my old arm chair
People, I will not be tired
And though Satan may speak, I will take my ease,
As I warm myself up by the fire
Chorus:
And I'll shout and I'll dance
And I'll rise up early in the morning
I will rise and rub my sleepy eyes
When old Gabriel comes blowing on his horn
Oh my soul, my soul I'm bound for to rest
I'll rest just as sure as I am born
And I'll sing like a blackbird sitting in its nest
When old Gabriel comes blowing on his horn
And I'll throw my clothes up on the shore
New garments I will have to wear
And I'll have brand new shoes and never get the blues
The angels will come and curl my hair......Chorus
Instrumental
Oh I shan't weep when it's time for me to leave
I'll pack up my bandbox and go
Goodbye old friends, it's no time for to grieve
Yes, I'm moving up to glory very slow
And I'll eat my meals three times a day
You bet your life, I will not be late
And I'll have lots of fun when all you people come
Cause I'm gonna take the tickets at the gate…..Chorus
Oh my soul, my soul, I'm bound for to rest
In the arms of the angel Gabriel
And I'll climb up the hill and look to the west
I'm crossing over Jordan to the land
And I'll sit me down in my old arm chair
People, I will not be tired
And though Satan may speak, I will take my ease,
As I warm myself up by the fire...Chorus 2X
When old Gabriel comes blowing on his horn
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2. |
Problem With Words
04:18
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I'm gonna sing you this song
Even though I don't know all the words
That never stopped me before
Even so, I don't know all the words
You won't be laughing when it is done
And you won't be joking or poking at fun
But I'm gonna sing you this song
Until my sorrow is gone
Until my sorrow is gone
I'm gonna write you some prose
Even though you won't know that I do
That never stopped me before
Even so, you won't know that I do
You won't consider the words that I write
And you won't be tactful or act so polite
But I'm gonna write you some prose
Until my pining is through
Until my pining is through
Sing me a song
I don't care if you know all the words
Read me your prose
I'm aware of your problem with words
You were the reason that living was fun
And you gave me hope when I knew there was none
So I'll always be close at hand
Until your sorrow is gone
Until your pining is through
I'm gonna sing you this song
(Sing me a song)
Even though I don't know all the words
(I don't care if you know all the words)
That never stopped me before
(Read me your prose)
Even so, I don't know all the words
(I'm aware of your problem with words)
You won't be laughing when it is done
(You were the reason that living was fun)
And you won't be joking or poking at fun
(And you gave me hope when I knew there was none)
But I'm gonna sing you this song
(So I'll always be close at hand)
Until my sorrow is gone
(Until your sorrow is gone)
Until my pining is through
(Until your pining is through)
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3. |
Love and Freedom
02:40
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As I went out the marketplace,
What do you think I seen?
But a fine young piper laddie
linking o’er the green
Chorus:
Singing hey Donal, ho Donal,
Dirrum a doo a day
Singing hey Donal, ho Donal,
Dirrum a doo a day
He played a reel and he played a jig,
He played the “Sweets of May”
And he tossed my hair ’til the roots stood still,
To the tappin’ of my toe...Chorus
Well I have now’t to offer you
This young man said to me
But you’ll gain love and freedom ,
If you come away with me...Chorus
There’s gold in the broom of the Sidlaw Hills,
There's honey in the heather sweet,
There’s a speckled trout in the highland tarn
Green carpets ’neath our feet...Chorus
Instrumental
Well, he blew up his chanter
And he began to play
And I chose love and freedom
I wander all of my day...Chorus
As I went out the marketplace,
What do you think I seen?
But a fine young piper laddie
linking o’er the green...Chorus
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4. |
Kilkelly
07:13
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Kilkelly Ireland, eighteen and sixty,
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 affected,
A third to half of them bad.
And your sister Bridget and Patrick O'Donnell,
Are gonna get married in June;
And your mother says not to work on the railroad,
And be sure to come on home soon.
Kilkelly Ireland, eighteen and seventy,
Dear and loving son John;
Hello to your missus and to your four 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 there’s nothing to burn.
And Bridget is happy you named the child for her;
You know she's got six of her own.
You say you've found work, but you don't say what kind;
Oh, when will you be comin' home?
Kilkelly Ireland, eighteen and eighty,
Dear Michael and John my sons;
I'm sorry to give you the very sad news
That your dear old mother passed on.
We buried her down at the church in Kilkelly;
Your brothers and Bridget 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, eighteen and ninety,
My dear and loving son John;
I guess that I must be close on to eighty;
It's thirty years since you've gone.
Because of all the money you sent me,
I'm still living out on my own.
Michael has built himself a fine house,
And Bridget's daughters are grown.
And 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.
Instrumental
Kilkelly Ireland, eighteen and ninety two,
My dear brother John;
I'm sorry that I didn't write sooner,
To tell you that father passed on.
He was living with Bridget;
She says he was cheerful
And healthy right down to the end.
You should have seen him playing with the grandchildren
Of Pat McNamara, your friend.
And we buried him alongside of mother,
Down at 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 at the end.
Oh, why don't you think about coming to visit,
We'd love to see you again.
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5. |
Kinlock Of Kinlock
02:06
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Instrumental
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6. |
Willow Tree
03:16
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I will bow and be simple,
I will bow and be free
I will bow and be humble,
Yea bend like the willow tree...Repeat
I will bow this is the token,
I will wear the easy yoke
I will bow and be broken,
Yea I'll fall upon the rock...Repeat
Instrumental
I will bow and be simple,
I will bow and be free
I will bow and be humble,
Yea bend like the willow tree
I will bow this is the token,
I will wear the easy yoke
I will bow and be broken,
Yea I'll fall upon the rock
Instrumental
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7. |
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What makes you go abroad, fighting for strangers,
When you could be safe at home, free from all dangers?
With your guns and drums and drums and guns, hurroo, hurroo
With your guns and drums and drums and guns, hurroo, hurroo
With your guns and drums and drums and guns,
The enemy nearly slew you
Oh my darling dear, you look so queer
And Johnny I hardly knew ye
Where are your eyes that were so mild, hurroo, hurroo
Where are your eyes that were so mild, hurroo, hurroo
Where are your eyes that were so mild,
That looked upon the world and smiled
Why did you run from me and the child
Johnny, I hardly knew ye
Where are your legs that used to run, hurroo, hurroo
Where are your legs that used to run, hurroo, hurroo
Where are your legs that used to run,
When first you ran to carry a gun
Oh, I fear your dancing days are done
Johnny, I hardly knew you
You haven't an arm, you haven't a leg, hurroo, hurroo
You haven't an arm, you haven't a leg, hurroo, hurroo
You haven't an arm, you haven't a leg,
You're an eyeless, boneless, chickenless egg
You'll have to be put in a bowl to beg
Johnny, I hardly knew you
Instrumental
They're rolling out the guns again, hurroo, hurroo
They're rolling out the guns again, hurroo, hurroo
They're rolling out the guns again,
But they won't take our daughters and sons again
No, they won't take our daughters and sons again
Johnny, I'm swearing to you
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8. |
Omie Wise
03:02
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I'll tell you the history of little Omie Wise
How she was deluded by John Lewis's lies
He told her to meet him at the Hellington Spring
He'd bring her some money and other fine things
But when she did meet him at the Hellington Spring
He brought her no money nor other fine things
Said climb up behind me and away we will go
We'll ride and be married where the old folks won't know.
She climbed up behind him and away they did go
Down through the lonesome valley where the deep waters flow
Instrumental
Get down from behind me and I'll tell you no lie
My mind it is to drown you and leave you behind
She threw her arms around him, she was so surprised
Oh, let me go begging if I can't be your bride
He hugged her and he kissed her and he looked all around,
He threw her in deep waters where he knew that she would drown
Then he mounted his pony and away he did go
Down through the lonesome valley where the deep waters flow
Instrumental
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9. |
Star Of the County Down
07:47
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Near Banbridge Town in the County Down
One morning last July
Down the boreen came a sweet colleen
And she smiled as she passed me by
She looked so sweet fronn her two bare feet
To the crown of her nut-brown hair
Such a winsome elf, that I pinched myself
For to see I was really there
Chorus:
From Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay
And from Galway to Dublin Town,
No maid I've seen like the brown colleen
That I met in the County Down
Instrumental
As she onward sped, sure I scratched my head,
And I looked with a feeling rare,
And I says, says I, to a passer-by,
"Whose that maid with the nut-brown hair"?
He smiled at me and he says's to me,
"That's the gem of Ireland's crown.
Young Rosie McCann from the banks of the Bann,
She's the star of the County Down"...Chorus
Instrumental
At the Harvest Fair, she'll be surely there
So I'll dress in my Sunday clothes,
With my shoes shined bright and my hat cocked right
For a smile from the nut-brown rose.
No pipe I'll smoke, no horse I'll yoke
Till my plough is a rust colored brown
Till smiling bright, by my own firelight
Is the star of the County Down...Chorus 2X
Instrumental
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10. |
My Love
03:30
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Do you remember what we promised when we met, my love?
There would never be a reason for regret, my love;
But news has come to town, bad news flies up and down,
That another you have found to lie with you, my love.
If the wind would whisper by that it's not you, my love,
If the seas would rise and cry that it's not true, my love;
If the hills could only say that you were on your way,
Then happy I would be and stay with you, my love.
Ev'ry night I light a lamp for your return, my love,
But the morning light's a lesson to be learned, my love;
That I, who've learned to trust, have been betrayed in lust,
Forevermore be cursed for wanting you, my love.
Do you remember what we promised when we met, my love?
There would never be a reason for regret, my love;
But news has come to town, bad news flies up and down,
That another you have found to lie with you, my love.
That another you have found to lie with you, my love.
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11. |
Beginning With You
03:27
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Peace will come later, at best
Find yourself comfort, and rest for awhile
As you empty your pockets again with a smile
With hope that you'll manage to win the world over
Believing in miracles time and again
And you sit back and hope that the world will keep changing
But it never changes, just people do
Follow your vision, my friend
Look to the future and then realize
As you tug on your heartstrings and tears fill your eyes
Compassion will carry us over the hard times
And miracles find us while we're asleep
And we'll wake up together with hope in our pockets
And wonder what took us so long to believe
Peace will come later, at best
Find yourself comfort, and rest for awhile
As you empty your pockets again with a smile
With hope that you'll manage to win the world over
Believing in miracles time and again
And we'll wake up together with hope in our pockets
And wonder what took us so long to believe
And you sit back and hope that the world will keep changing
But it never changes, just people do
Beginning with you
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12. |
Train On the Island
04:48
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Train on the island, listen to it squeal
Go and tell my true love how happy I do feel
Chorus:
Train on the island, hear the whistle blow
Go and tell my true love I'm sick and I can't go
Bring me a drink of water, bring it in a cup
Me and my love we fell out, we ain't never gonna make up ...Chorus
Train on the island, heading to the West
Me and my love we fell out, perhaps its for the best ...Chorus
Show me the crow that flies so high, show me the one that falls
If I don't get the gal I love, I don't want none at all...Chorus
I went up on the mountain, went out on the plain
I went up on the other side to hear my darlin' sing...Chorus
Yonder comes my true love, how do you reckon I know?
I can tell her by her apron strings tied up in a double bow ...Chorus
Make me a banjo out of a gourd, string it up with twine
The only tune that I can play is "Wish That You Were Mine" ..Chorus
Train on the island, listen to it squeal
Go and tell my true love how happy I do feel...Chorus
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Atwater-Donnelly Warren, Rhode Island
Aubrey Atwater and Elwood Donnelly, present delightful programs of traditional American and Celtic folk songs, a capella pieces, old-time gospel songs, dance tunes, and original works, blending gorgeous harmonies with guitar, Appalachian mountain dulcimer, mandolin, tin whistle, harmonica, banjo, bones, spoons, limberjacks, and Appalachian clog dancing and French Canadian footwork. ... more
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