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. |
Pretty Saro
03:57
|
|||
|
Down in some lone valley in a lonesome place
Where the wild birds do whistle and their notes do increase
Farewell pretty Saro, I bid you adieu
And I'll dream of pretty Saro wherever I go
My love she won't have me so I understand
She wants a freeholder who owns house and land
I cannot maintain her with silver and gold
Nor buy all the fine things that a big house can hold
If I were a merchant and could write a fine hand
I'd write my love a letter that she'd understand
I'd write it by the river where the waters overflow
And I'll dream of pretty Saro wherever I go
Oh, I'll dream of pretty Saro wherever I go
|
||||
2. |
||||
|
Well on a good day, you can see very far,
Just drive up high and get out of your car.
On 77 or 460, just look and the view then look at me
Chorus:
Oh the hills of West Virginia are green and lush,
And I go to hear the music
One small mountain after another, pushes out of the earth
They're falling over each other, like children, except look over there
It must be an apparition, in the distance, a mesa
Strip mining has left one hill naked, and oddly flat...Chorus
When I go to West Virginia, I don't say much
Years ago my people owned mines in the Pocahontas coal field
Well you might say now what's all the fuss
And why do I say I don't say much
But I wouldn't call parts of two states a "field"…Chorus
Instrumental
Now the stripped land, the faces, the sickness,
The unemployment tell me too much
And all that happened all of those years was before my time…Chorus
I was raised well in a New England town,
And educated at expensive schools
Our lives were warmly heated
By the coal transported by ship from West Virginia
By the coal transported by ship from West Virginia
By the coal transported by ship from West Virginia
And on a good day, you can see very far,
Just drive up high and get out of your car.
On 77 or 460, just look at the view then look at me
Look and the view then look at me,
Look and the view then look at me
|
||||
3. |
Pity Undue
05:34
|
|||
|
There's hope in the gutter,
I certainly know
I've been there myself,
Downtrodden and low
We try to recover
But we land on our backs
And the rest of the family
Has slipped through the cracks
Well, somebody told me
That you're working for pay
But your health is declining
So you'll quit any day
They said you'd be leaving
Before you get old
And your bills total more
Than the house that you sold
Chorus:
Oh, it's a pity undue,
The hardship that's fallen
On people like you
And oh, it's a pity to see
What little is accomplished
By people like me
Instrumental
Well, people don't worry
There's more to this life
Than struggling for honor
As mother and wife
You've nothing to prove
That you've not proven yet
The kettle is boiling; the table is set
Well, someday we'll show them,
If we all don't die first
That the world they're creating
Gets progressively worse
When they choose to exclude some
And keep others in check
Their mindless injustice
Will fall on their necks…Chorus
Instrumental
Chorus 2X
|
||||
4. |
Red Rockin' Chair
03:04
|
|||
|
I ain’t got no use
For the little red rockin' chair
Got no sugar honey baby here
Who’ll rock that cradle
Who’ll sing that song
Who’ll rock cradle when you're gone
I’ll rock that cradle
I’ll sing that song
I’ll rock that cradle when you’re gone
I've done all I can do
Said all I can say
Take you to your mammy next payday
Instrumental
I ain’t got no use
For the little red rockin' chair
Got no sugar honey baby here
Who’ll rock that cradle
Who’ll sing that song
Who’ll rock cradle when you're gone
I’ll rock that cradle
I’ll sing that song
I’ll rock that cradle when you’re gone
I've done all I can do
Said all I can say
Take you to your mammy next payday
|
||||
5. |
Dabbling In the Dew
03:40
|
|||
|
Oh, where are you going, my pretty little dear,
With the red rosy cheeks and the coal black hair?
I’m going a-milking, kind sir, she answered me:
For it’s dabbling in the dew makes the milk maid fair!
Suppose I were to clothe you, my pretty little dear,
With rings of gold and diamonds and the amethyst rare?
O no, sir, O no, sir, kind sir, she answered me,
For it’s dabbling in the dew makes the milk maid fair!
Suppose I were to carry you, my pretty little dear,
With chariots of gold and fine horses rare?
O no, sir, O no, sir, kind sir, she answered me,
For it’s dabbling in the dew makes the milk maid fair!
Instrumental
Da, da, da, da, da...
O fine clothes and dainties and carriages so rare
Bring grey to the cheek and silver to the hair;
What’s a ring on my finger when there's rings round the eye?
For it’s dabbling in the dew makes the milk maid fair!
|
||||
6. |
These Woods
01:03
|
|||
|
These woods are fine
These trees, these plants
Chipmunks, crows
Sun, sky, rain, moon
They're fine
The woodland is full of fallen acorns
And I'm tripping on a floor of marbles
These woods don't need anything
No clearing, cutting, cleaning, raking
Nothing
They're fine
|
||||
7. |
Blind Fiddler
03:27
|
|||
|
I lost my sight in the blacksmith's shop in the year of ‘56
While dusting out a T-planch that was out of fit
It bounded from my tongs and there it sealed my doom
I am a blind fiddler and far from my home
I went to San Francisco, and I went to Dr. Lane
He operated on one of my eyes, nothing could he gain
He said I'd never see again, it was no use to mourn
I am a blind fiddler and far from my home
I have a wife and six little children depending now on me
To share in all my troubles, whatever they may be
I hope that are contented while I'm compelled to roam
I am a blind fiddler and far from my home
|
||||
8. |
Johnny Be Fair
02:40
|
|||
|
Oh Johnny be fair and Johnny be good
And he wants me for to wed
And I would have married Johnny
But me father up and said,
“I hate to tell you, daughter,
What your mother never knew
But, Johnny is a son of mine
And so he’s kin to you.”
Oh Billy be fair and Billy be good
And he wants me for to wed
And I would have married Billy
But me father up and said,
“I hate to tell you, daughter,
What your mother never knew
But, Billy is a son of mine
And so he’s kin to you.”
Oh Jimmy be fair and Jimmy be good
And he wants me for to wed
And I would have married Jimmy
But me father up and said,
“I hate to tell you, daughter,
What your mother never knew
But, Jimmy is a son of mine
And so he’s kin to you.”
Instrumental
Oh I went down to me mother
And I hung me head in shame
I had every boy in the village
And I couldn’t change me name
My mother said, “If he knew it,
Then he surely would me kill.
But, your father’s not your father
So marry whom you will.”
Instrumental
|
||||
9. |
||||
|
Hey, ho, nobody home
Meat, nor drink, nor money have we none
Still we will be merry
Hey, hey, ho
Ah, poor bird
Take thy flight
Fly above the sorrow
Of this sad night
Rose, rose, rose, rose
Will I ever see thee wed
I will marry at thy will
Sire, at thy will
|
||||
10. |
My Little Doney Gal
02:53
|
|||
|
Oh, my little honey gal, don't you guess
Better be making your wedding dress
Wedding dress
Better be making your wedding dress
Oh, she wouldn't say yes
Wouldn't say no
All she'd do was sit and sew
Sit and sew
All she'd do was sit and sew
Oh, it's already made, trimmed in white
Gonna get married on Saturday night
Saturday night
Gonna get married on Saturday night
Oh, it's already made, trimmed in green
Prettiest thing we've ever seen
Ever seen
Prettiest thing we've ever seen
Oh, my little honey gal, don't you guess
Better be making your wedding dress
Wedding dress
Better be making your wedding dress
Oh, she didn't say yes
Didn't say no
All she'd do was sit and sew
Sit and sew
All she'd do was sit and sew
|
||||
11. |
Again
01:08
|
|||
|
I'd like to knock on your ivy door
And see the sun slant through
The windows of your sitting room
I'd like to tell you how everyone is
As I sip a cup of steaming black tea
With just a little milk and sugar
And tell you what I've been doing
I knew you wouldn't live forever
All those extra years were a gift
But I'd still love to see you again
|
||||
12. |
Forgiveness
04:52
|
|||
|
He never told her he loved her
Leastwise while I was around
Well he seldom spoke, but his message was clear
And besides he could hardly be found
And he held the privilege of power,
While she circumvented his will
Each day a challenge, and a chance to gain ground
Never quite conquering still
Chorus:
There's a hole in his heart,
Where love should have been
And I don't think it'll ever be filled
There's a hole in his heart,
Where love could have been, instilled
Look all around you; your destiny taunts you
You never had even the slightest of chances
Had you foreseen what would be your lean portion
Could you have even improved circumstances
It's mostly behind you now; see the result
You're standing within while he wanders without.
And he never asked for forgiveness
Though I'm sure he wishes he did
Cause there's a hole in his heart
Where love should have been
When I was his loyal young kid…Chorus 2X
Instrumental
Chorus
|
||||
13. |
||||
|
Will you go to the rolling of the stones
Or the tossing of the ball?
Or will you go and see pretty Susie
And dance among them all?
I will not go to the rolling of the stones
Or the tossing of the ball
But I will go and see pretty Susie
And dance among them all
They hadn’t danced but a single dance
More than once or twice around
Before the sword at her true love’s side
Gave him his fatal wound
They picked him up and they carried him away
For he was sore distressed
They carried him and buried him
All in the green woods
Where he was want to rest
Pretty Susie she came a-wandering by
With a tablet under her arm
Until she came to her true love’s grave
And she began to charm
She charmed the fish out of the sea
And the birds out of their nests
She charmed her true love out of his grave
So he could no longer rest
Will you go to the rolling of the stones
Or the tossing of the ball?
Or will you go and see pretty Susie
And dance among them all?
I will not go to the rolling of the stones
Or the tossing of the ball
But I will go and see pretty Susie
And dance among them all
|
||||
14. |
Love Is Little
02:17
|
|||
|
Love is little
Love is low
Love will make our spirit grow
Grow in peace
Grow in light
Love will do the thing that's right...Repeat
|
||||
15. |
||||
|
I'd like to tell you now
That everything's okay
The children are asleep in their beds
The downstairs lights are off
And both the doors are locked
The cars are safely parked for the night
Chorus:
Another day, another life, another week
And we are in our bed so warm and clean
I put my hand on your hair and tell you that
Right now, right here, this time
Everything's all right
Instrumental
Setting my alarm, I think that these
Are precious times when everything's okay
No loss, no hospital, no accident, no fight
No fire, no scare, no phone calls in the night…Chorus 2X
Right now, right here, this time
Everything's all right
Right now, right here, this time
|
||||
16. |
Catherine's Reel
01:04
|
|||
|
Instrumental
|
||||
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
If you like Atwater-Donnelly, you may also like:
This album speaks to the continuum of African diasporic culture that is central to the vibrant canon of Americana folk music.
go to album
Sweet Old Religion
by Pharis & Jason Romero
Sweet harmonies & strummed melodies; the duo delve into decades-old folk, jazz, and country to find a timeless kind of love and connection.
go to album
Would the Light Hold Me
by Oceanique
Celtic-inspired instrumentation, delicate harmonies, and reflective lyrics abound on the sisterly indie-folk duo's debut album.
go to album
Scottish harpist and singer Rachel Newton brings an innovative, intensely emotional touch to traditional music on this dreamy LP.
go to album
Wealth of Sorrow
by Cahalen Morrison
Bright and skipping songs that foreground the sound of the banjo and fingerstyle guitar in music that feels timeless.
go to album
Mind, Man, Medicine
by The Secret Sisters
The Alabama duo's fifth album exults in dusty Americana, showcasing rich vocal harmonies alongside blissful folk instrumentation.
go to album
Little Green
by Cara Beth Satalino
Cara Beth Satalino's delicately melodic yet resilient indie folk songs sparkle with lyrical wit and hard-won wisdom.
go to album
