Ties That Bind

Once I Had a Sweetheart
Once I had a sweetheart and now I have none
Once I had a sweetheart and now I have none
He's gone and leave me He's gone and leave me
He's gone and leave me To sorrow and moan

Last night in sweet slumber I dreamed I did see
Last night in sweet slumber I dreamed I did see
My own precious jewel, My own precious jewel
My own precious jewel sat smiling by me

And when I awakened and found it not so
And when I awakened and found it not so
My eyes like some fountain, My eyes like some fountain
My eyes like some fountain with tears overflow

I'll venture through England, through France and through Spain
I'll venture through England, through France and through Spain
All my life I will venture, all my life I will venture,
All my life I well venture, the watery main

I’ll set sails of silver and steer towards the sun
I’ll set sails of silver and steer towards the sun
My false love will weep for me when I am gone
My false love will weep for me when I am gone

Shenandoah
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you,
Away, you rolling river.
Shenandoah, I long to hear you
Away, we're bound away 'cross the wide Missouri.

Oh, Shenandoah, I love your daughter
Away, you rolling river.
for her I’d cross your raging water
Away, we're bound away 'cross the wide Missouri.

Oh, Shenandoah, I'm bound to leave you.
Away, you rolling river.
Oh, Shenandoah, I'll not deceive you
Away, we're bound away 'cross the wide Missouri.

Oh, Shenandoah, I long to see you,
Away, you rolling river.
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to see you,
Away, we're bound away 'cross the wide Missouri.

Lady lsabel and the Elf Knight
There was a lord in London town,
Who courted a lady gay,
And all that he courted this lady for
Was to take her sweet life away.

Come give to me your father's gold,
Likewise your mother's fee,
And two of the best horses in your father's stable
For there stand thirty and three.

She mounted on a milk-white steed
And he the fast-travelling grey,
They rode thill he came to the seashore side,
Three hours before it was day.

Alight, alight, my pretty Polly,
Alight, alight, cried he,
For six pretty maids I have drownded here,
And you the seventh shall be.

Now you take off your silken gown,
Likewise your golden stay,
For I think that your clothing's too rich and too gay
To rot all in the salt sea.

Yes, I'll take off my silken gown,
Likewise my golden stay,
But before I do, you false young man,
You must face yon willow tree.

And when he turned his back around
And faced yon willow tree,
She grabbed him around the middle so small
And threw him in the salt sea.

And as he rose and as he sank
And as he rose cried he,
Six pretty maids have I drownded here
But the seventh one has drownded me!

repeat first verse

I Will Arise
I will arise and go to Jesus;
He will embrace me in his arms.
In the arms of my dear Savior,
Oh, there are ten thousand charms.

Come, thou font of every blessing,
Move my heart to sing thy praise.
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.

Santa Anna
From Boston town we’re bound away
Heave away, Santa Anno
Around Cape Horn to Frisco Bay
We are bound for Californ-I-O

Then heave her up and away we’ll go
Heave away, Santa Anno
Heave her up and away we’ll go
We are bound for Californ-I-O

She’s a fast clipper ship and a bully good crew…
A down east yankee for a captain too…

There’s plenty of gold so I’ve been told…
Plenty of gold so I’ve been told…

When I leave ship I’ll settle down…
I’ll marry a girl named Sally Brown…

Back in the days of ’49…
Those were the days of the good old times…

Merrily Kissed the Quaker/Rakes of Kildare.
Two Irish/Appalachian fiddle tunes.

The Riddle Song
This version is from the Kentucky mountains. An earlier version
was discovered in a 15th century manuscript.

I gave my love a cherry that has no stone,
I gave my love a chicken that has no bone,
I gave my love a ring that has no end,
I gave my love a baby with no cryin'.

How can there be a cherry that has no stone?
How can there be a chicken that has no bone?
How can there be a ring that has no end?
How can there be a baby with no cryen?

A cherry, when it's blooming, it has no stone,
A chicken when it's pipping, it has no bone,
A ring when it's rolling, it has no end,
A baby when it's sleeping, is not cryin'.

Amazing Grace
(John Newton)
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I'm found
Was blind, but now I see

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace that fear relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils, and snares
I have already come
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home.

When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we first begun.

May Carol/The Caroling March
I've been a-wandering all the night
And the best part of the day
Now I'm returning home again
I bring you a branch of May

A branch of May, I bring you, my love
Here at your door I stand
It's nothing but a sprout, but it's well budded out
By the work of the Lord's own hand

In my pocket I've got a purse
Tied up with a silver string
All that I do need is a bit of silver
To line it well within

My song is done and I must be gone
I can no longer stay
God bless you all both great and small
And send you a joyful May

As I Walked Out
As I walked out a summer's night a'drinking of sweet wine
and talking with the handsome winsome lad
Who stole this heart of mine, who stole this heart of mine.

His cheeks were like some bright red rose that springs in early June
His voice was like some music instrument
That sounds so sweet in tune, that sounds so sweet in tune

Oh can't you hear that turtle dove? She sits in yonder pine
She is mourning for the losing of her love
As I once wept for mine, as I once wept for mine

Oh hush, my love, don't break my heart, I hate to hear you cry
The best of friends they often have to part
and now it's you and I, and now it's you and I

On Jordan's Stormy Banks
On Jordan's stormy banks I stand,
and cast a wishful eye
to Canaan's fair and happy land,
where my possessions lie.

I am bound for the promised land,
I am bound for the promised land;
oh, who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.

O'er all those wide extended plains
shines one eternal day;
there God the Son forever reigns,
and scatters night away.

No chilling winds or poisonous breath
can reach that healthful shore;
sickness and sorrow, pain and death,
are felt and feared no more.

When I shall reach that happy place,
I'll be forever blest,
for I shall see my Father's face,
and in his bosom rest.

Pretty Saro
Down in some lone valley, in some lonesome place
Where the wild birds do whistle and their notes do increase
Farewell pretty Saro, I'll 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 and I have no land
I can no 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 so she'd understand
I’ll send it by the river where the clear waters flow
And I'll dream of pretty Saro wherever I go

West Virginia Mine Disaster
(Jean Ritchie)
Say, did you see him? it was early this morning
He passed by your houses on his way to the coal
He was tall, he was slender, and his blue eyes so tender
His occupation was miner, West Virginia his home

It was just about twelve, I was feeding the children
Ben Moseley come running for to give us the news
Number eight is all flooded, many men are in danger
And we don't know their number, but we fear they're all doomed

So I picked up the baby and I left all the others
For to comfort each other and pray for our own
There's Timmy, fourteen, and there's John not much younger
Soon their own time will be coming to go down the black hole

Now if I had the money to do more than just feed them
I'd give them good learning, the best could be found
And when they grew up they'd be checkers and weighers
And not spend their life drilling in the dark underground

And it's what will I tell to my poor little children?
And what will I tell his dear mother at home?
And it's what will I tell to my that's clear broken?
To my heart that's clear broken since my darling is gone

Say, did you see him? it was early this morning
He passed by your house on his way to the coal
He was tall, he was slender, and his blue eyes so tender
His occupation was miner, West Virginia his home

Eight More Miles To Louisville
(Grandpa Jones)

Maid of Constant Sorrow
I am a maid of constant sorrow
I've seen trouble all of my days
I bid farewell to old Kentucky
Place where I was born and raised

All thru this earth I'm bound to ramble
Thru storm and wind, thru sleet and rain
I'm bound to ride that Northern railroad
Perhaps I'll take the very next train

For six long years I've been in trouble
No pleasure here on earth I've found
For in this world I'm bound to ramble
I have no friends to help me now

Your friends they say that I'm a stranger
my face you'll never see no more
There is one promise that is given
I'll see you on God's golden shore

I am a maid of constant sorrow
I've seen trouble all of my days
I'm going back to old Kentucky
Place where I was partly raised

Shady Grove/Paddy on the Turnpike
Cheeks as red as a blooming rose,
Eyes of the deepest brown,
You're the darling of my heart,
Won't you stay till the sun goes down.

Shady Grove, my true love, Shady Grove, my darlin'
Shady Grove, my true love, I'm going back to Harlan.

Last time I saw Shady Grove
He was standing in the door,
Boots and socks was in his hand,
Bare feet on the floor.

Wish I had a banjo string
All made of golden twine,
Every tune I'd play on it
Is I wish that man were mine.

Some come here to fiddle and dance,
Some come here to tarry,
Some come here to shuck the corn,
I come here to marry.

Wish I had a big white horse
Corn to feed him on
Wish I had a handsome man
To feed him when I'm gone.

Every night when he comes home,
That man I try to please him.
The more I do, the worse he gets,
I'll be damned if I don't leave him.

Shady Grove, my true love,
Shady Grove, I say.
Shady Grove, my true love,
Don't wait for the judgement day.

Shady Grove, my true love,
Shady Grove, I know,
Shady Grove, my true love,
I'm bound for the Shady Grove.

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