Natalie Merchant Album

A woman of beauty
a woman of pain
in France or Jakarta
her shadow’s the same
you go home with Sally Ann
you go home with Sally Ann
you go home

a woman of kindness
with bracelets of jade
in China, in Japan
choices are made
you go home with Sally Ann
you go home with Sally Ann
you go home

a woman of chances
with no family or friends
in Argentina
she knows only men
you go home with Sally Ann
you go home with Sally Ann
you go home

a woman of color
with debts to be paid
Songtextein Trenton or Detroit
she lives by the blade
you go home with Sally Ann
you go home with Sally Ann
you go home

Come all you good workers
good news to you I’ll tell
of how the good old union
has come in here to dwell

which side are you on boys?
which side are you on?

my daddy was a miner
he’s now in the air and sun
he’ll be with you fellow workers
until the battle’s won

which side are you on boys?
which side are you on?

they say in Harlan County
there are no neutrals there
you’ll either be a union man
or a thug for J. H. Claire

which side are you on boys?
which side are you on?

oh workers can you stand it?
oh tell me how you can
Songtextewill you be a lousy scab
or will you be a man?

which side are you on boys?
which side are you on?

don’t scab for the bosses
don’t listen to their lies
poor folks ain’t got a chance
unless they organize

which side are you on boys?
which side are you on?

Within the fire
and out upon the sea
crazy man Michael was walking
he met with a raven
with eyes black as coal
and shortly they were talking

“your future, your future
I will tell to you
your future
you often have asked me
your true love will die
by your own right hand
and crazy man Michael
will cursed be”

Michael he ranted
and Michael he raved
and he beat at the four winds
with his fists-o
he laughed and he cried
he shouted and he swore
for his mad mind
entrapped him with a fist-hold

“you speak with an evil
Songtexteyou speak with a hate
you speak for the devil
that haunts me
for is she not the fairest
in all the broad land?
your sorcerer’s words
are to taunt me”

he took out his dagger
of fine and broad steel
and he struck down the raven
through the heart-o
the bird fluttered long
and the sky it did spin
and this cold earth did
wander ‘round startled

oh where is the raven
that I struck down dead
and here did lye
on the ground-o?
I see my true love
with a wound so red
where her lover’s heart
it did pound-o

crazy man Michael
he wanders I’m told
and he talks through
the night and the day-o
but his eyes they are sane
and his speech is plain
but he longs to be far away-o

Michael he whistles
the simplest of tunes
as he asks of the wild wolves
their pardon
but his true love has flown
into every flower grown
and he must be keeper
of the garden

Young Emily was fair lady bright
she loved her diver boy
who sailed over the ocean
to gather up some gold
seven long years returning,
his money for to show
he’d been sailing over the main
down in the low land, low

“my father runs a big hotel
down by the river side
you go there go for to stay
and I shall be your bride
meet me early morning
don’t let my parents know
you have been the diver boy
down in the low land, low”

young Henry taking a drink
that night before he went to bed
not thinking of the danger
that crowned all over his head
young Edward said to his father,
“let’s take his money sure
and send his body sinking fast
down in the low land, low”
Songtexte
young Emily went to be that night
she dreamed an awful dream
she dreamed she saw
her true love’s blood
go flowing down the stream
waking early morning
to parents she did say,
“where could be that stranger boy
who came here for to stay?”

“oh, father you’re a robber
you robbed me of my wren!
oh brother you have murdered
the one that I loved best!
the trees on yonder mountain
are bending to and fro
they remind me of my diver boy
down in the low land, low”

If you see them father
please tell them
I’m a poor mourning pilgrim
bound for Canaan land

well I weep and I moan
and I move slowly on
I’m a poor mourning pilgrim
bound for Canaan land

if you see them sister
please tell them
I’m a poor mourning pilgrim
bound for Canaan land

well I weep and I moan
and I move slowly on
I’m a poor mourning pilgrim
bound for Canaan land

if you see them brother
please tell them
I’m a poor mourning pilgrim
bound for Canaan land

well I weep and I moan
Songtexteand I move slowly on
I’m a poor mourning pilgrim
bound for Canaan land

if you see them mother
please tell them
I’m a poor mourning pilgrim
bound for Canaan land

well I weep and I moan
and I move slowly on
I’m a poor mourning pilgrim
bound for Canaan land

Said, “soldier, now soldier
would you marry me
before the fight comes on?”

“how can I marry
such a pretty little girl
when I got no suit to put on?”

well she went to the dry goods store
hard as she could run
she bought the finest
little suit in the store,
“come on soldier put this on”

said, “soldier, now soldier
would you marry me
before the fight comes on?”

“how can I marry
such a pretty little girl
when I got no shoes to put on”

well she went to the dry goods store
hard as she could run
she bought the finest
little shoes in the store
Songtexte“come on soldier put these on”

said, “soldier, now soldier
would you marry me
before the fight comes on?”

“how can I marry
such a pretty little girl
when I got no hat to put on?”

well she went to the dry goods store
hard as she could run
she bought the finest
little hat in the store
“come on soldier put this on”

said, “soldier, now soldier
would you marry me
before the fight comes on?”

“how can I marry
such an ugly little girl
when I got a pretty wife at home?”

Well, my heart is sad
and I am lonesome
for the only one I love
when shall we meet?
oh no never
till we meet in heaven above

so bury me underneath the willow
under the weeping willow tree
so that he may know
where I am sleeping
and perhaps he’ll weep for me

well, he told me that
he dearly loved me
oh how could it be untrue?
until the angels softly whispered,
“he will prove untrue to you”

so bury me underneath the willow
under the weeping willow tree
so that he may know
where I am sleeping
and perhaps he’ll weep for me

well, tomorrow was to be
Songtexteour wedding day
but oh my god
where can he be?
he’s out a courting with another
and no longer cares for me

so bury me underneath the willow
under the weeping willow tree
so that he may know
where I am sleeping
and perhaps he’ll weep for me

“Well met, well met
and I know true love
well met, well met”, said he
“I’m just returning from the salt, salt sea
and it’s all for the love of thee”

“come in, come in
my own true love
and have a seat with me
it’s been three-fourths
of a long, long year
since together we have been”

“no I can’t come in
and I can’t sit down
for I have but a moment’s time
they say that you’re married
to a house carpenter
and your heart shall never be mine”

“well I could have married
the king’s daughter fair
she would have married me
but I forsaked upon
her crowns of gold
and it’s all for the love of thee”
Songtexte
“now will you forsake on
your house carpenter
and go along with me?
I’ll take you where
the grass grows green
on the banks of the bitter reeds”

she pick’d up her wee little babe
and kisses, gave it three saying,
“stay right here my darling little one
keep your papa company”

now they had not been
on the ship two weeks
I swear it was not three
when his true love began
to weep and moan
and she wept most bitterly

“are you weeping
for my silver and gold
are you weeping for my store or are
you weeping for that house carpenter
that you ne’er shall see no more?”


“a curse on the sailor she swore
a curse, a curse she swore
you robbed me of my sweet little babe
that I never shall see no more!”

well, they had not been
on the ship three weeks
I swear it was not four
until there came a leak in the ship
and she sank
to rise no more…

Well, I lived in a town
way down south
by the name of Owensboro
and I worked in a mill
with the rest of the “trash”
as we’re often called
as you know

well, we rise up early
in the morning
and we work all day real hard
to buy our little meat and bread
buy sugar, tea, and lard

well, our children
grow up unlearned
with no time to go to school
almost before they learn to walk
they learn to spin and spoon

well, the folks in town
they dress so fine
and spend their money free
but they would hardly look
at a factory hand
who dresses like you or me
Songtexte
would you let them wear
their watches fine
let them wear their gems
and pearly strings

but when that day
of judgement comes
they’ll have to share
their pretty things

Come here ladies and gentleman
listen to my song
play it to you right
but you may think it wrong
may make you mad
but I mean no harm
it’s just about the renters
on Penny’s farm
it’s a hard time in the country
down on Penny’s farm

go into the fields
and you work all day
deep into the night
but you get no pay
promise you some meat
or a little bucket of lard
it’s hard to make a living
on Penny’s farm
it’s a hard time in the country
down on Penny’s farm

hear George Penny
he’ll be coming into town
with a wagon load of peaches
not a one of them sound
Songtextegotta get his money
gotta get a check
pay you for a bushel
but you never get a peck
it’s a hard time in the country
down on Penny’s farm

George Penny’s renters
they be coming into town
with their hands in their pockets
and their heads hanging down
go to the merchant
and the merchant he’ll say,
“your mortgage it is due
and I’m looking for my pay”
it’s a hard time in the country
down on Penny’s farm

deep into his pocket
with a trembling hand,
“can’t pay you what I owe
but I’ll pay you what I can”
down to the merchant
and the merchant make a call
put you on the chain gang
don’t pay at all
it’s a hard time in the country
down on Penny’s farm

I am a poor wayfaring stranger
travelling through this world of woe
but there’s no sickness, toil or danger
in that bright land to which I go

well I’m going there
to meet my mother
said she’d meet me when I come
I’m only going over Jordan
I’m only going over home

I know dark clouds
will gather ‘round me
I know my way
will be rough and steep
but beautiful fields lie just before me
where God’s redeemed
their vigils keep

well I’m going there
to meet my loved ones
gone on before me, one by one
I’m only going over Jordan
I’m only going over home

I’ll soon be free of earthy trials
Songtextemy body rest in the old church yard
I’ll drop this cross of self-denial
and I’ll go singing home to God

well I’m going there
to meet my Savior
dwell with Him and never roam
I’m only going over Jordan
I’m only going over home