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Mark Twain

from Dirt by Patrick Stanley

/

lyrics

We ain't had much since the store burned down,
tried to find work where we could.
Papa and me searched all over this town,
and we both heard the river paid good.

We boarded a steam boat the first of July
when we found one that needed a crew.
Five hundred dollars can seem like a lot
til you see what them river men do.

Son, would you steer if you're able?
I'm doin my best to stay 'tween the shores,
and I'm trying to keep food on the table.
Just get through the night; I'm proud of you boy.

Well, I ain't seen sunshine in God knows the days,
and I ain't been home twice as long.
Mama and my sisters are wastin away
just waiting for us to come home.

But August showed up in a hurry,
and it seemed that September did, too.
The first time we saw the snow flurries
was the first time that both of us knew
that we weren't going home when we planned,
and the captain, he don't give a damn
about the wife and the mother,
the sisters and brother,
that both of us left on the land.

Pa wouldn't make it through winter.
Loaded him in to a box made of pine,
finally headed down river
to meet with the family that we'd left behind.

credits

from Dirt, released April 8, 2014
Patrick Stanley-acoustic guitar/vocals
Drew Blake-upright bass
Chris Miller-keys
Annalisa Nutt-vocals

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Patrick Stanley Huntington, West Virginia

West Virginia folk songs.

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