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The Rolling Of the Stones

from Where the Wild Birds Do Whistle 1997 by Atwater-Donnelly

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    A collection of Appalachian, Celtic, and original work. This album is dedicated to Elwood's mother, Catherine, who died on January 6, 1997.

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about

The Rolling Of the Stones
This is an American variant of Child Ballad #49 "The Two Brothers"
and it is quite fragmented.
The "rolling of the stones" and "the tossing of the ball" refer to the Highland games, and the "sword at his side" is a man.
Note the element of the supernatural at the end of the story which leads me to believe the song dates far back to Northern Europe many
centuries. The supernatural is not as commonly found in American versions of ballads.

lyrics

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

credits

from Where the Wild Birds Do Whistle 1997, released May 9, 1997
Aubrey Atwater: vocals, guitar, tin whistle
Elwood Donnelly: vocals, mountain dulcimer

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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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