I had been debating whether or not to continue with this music blog, which is why I haven't posted in a couple of months. Today as I was browsing through new music, I found the song "County Road 109" by artist Ross King. After listening to it, I decided to check out the other music by him and found "Celebrity." The lyrics really stood out to me and it seemed very timely (with Easter only a couple of weeks away). After a quick internet search in which I couldn't find the lyrics, I decided to add them to my blog so that they would be out there. So for the time being, this blog still exists!
Celebrity by Ross King (Listen on Youtube)
You've only got your sin to blame
For how it all turned out
You went up on a great big hill
Invited everyone in town
You were putting on a show
You wanted everyone to see
Don't act so surprised
You made him a celebrity
You made it like a carnival
And he was like a sideshow freak.
You had to make a spectacle
To prove your great authority
So everybody watched him die
Now don't you see the irony
It's your own fault
You made him a celebrity
And there ain't no way to stop this now.
You can't shut him up or shut him down.
The secret's truly finally out
There's no room for denial
So you can tell your master down in hell.
and He can knock or ring that bell
and all his bragging only helped
To send this whole thing viral
And don't you see, you'll always be
standing in the shadow of a celebrity
You thought it was hilarious
You made him wear a thorny crown
You were laughing all the way
As you paraded him through town.
You beat him up with nine cats tails
Stuck him up with nine inch nails
Oh but that just gave it more publicity
He was fueled on the fire of a celebrity
And there ain't no way to stop this now.
You can't shut him up or shut him down.
The secret's truly, finally out
There's no room for denial
So you can tell your master down in hell.
And he can knock or ring that bell
And all his bragging only helped
To send this whole thing viral
And don't you see, you'll always be
Standing in the shadow of a celebrity
If you kill somebody
And go around telling everybody
What you did.
Better pray he doesn't rise again
And there ain't no way to stop this now
You can't shut him up or shut him down
The secret's truly, finally out
There's no room for denial
So you can tell your master down in hell
He never will come ring that bell
and all his bragging only helped
to send this whole thing viral
Oh don't you see
You'll always be
Standing in the shadow of a celebrity.
On a side note, most of Ross King's music is beautiful and worth listening to. You might also be interested in his webpage.
Showing posts with label Lyrics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lyrics. Show all posts
Monday, April 3, 2017
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Step It Out, Mary vs. Step It Out, Nancy
"Step It Out, Mary" is a song that has popped up many times during the years I spent digging through Celtic folk songs. I first heard it in high school when a family friend gave my mother a CD which had the version by Hair of the Dog (a CD I quickly tried to claim for my own--keyword is "tried"). So given how familiar I was with the song, imagine how surprised I was to discover that Mary changed her name to Nancy, moved to America, and grew a backbone. I had no idea that "Step it Out, Nancy" even existed until earlier this month when I found the song while searching for murder ballads. How did I miss this until now?
The two songs are practically the same, having the same melody, tempo, and most of the same lyrics. However there are some key differences between the two songs. Most of them are flavor; the Nancy versions have more a country sound and instrumentation to them, which the Mary version are definitely more Celtic. They lyrical differences follow the same themes as well with Nancy's American Western setting and the imagery of the cattleman (as opposed to Mary's countryman) and the cowboy lover (instead of Mary's soldier). The biggest difference between the two songs, however, is the ending. Mild-Mannered-Mary and her soldier boy decide to recreate Romeo and Juliet, but Tough-As-Nails-Nancy would never take the easy way out. Oh no, Nancy takes an extra two verses and gets her revenge. Take a look at the two songs below:
"Step It Out, Mary" by Hair of the Dog (Youtube video is here)
"Step It Out, Nancy" by Holly Near (Youtube video is here)
In the village of Kilgory, there’s a maiden young and fair
Near Cheyenne in Wyoming there's a maiden fine and fair,
Her eyes they shone like diamonds, she had long and golden hair
Oh, her eyes they shone like diamonds, she had long and golden hair
Then a countryman came riding, he came to her daddy's gate
When the cattleman came riding he came to her father's door,
Mounted on a milk-white stallion, he came at the stroke of eight
Mounted on a milk white pony, he came at the stroke of four
Chorus:
Chorus:
Step it out, Mary, my fine daughter
Step it out Nancy, pretty darlin'
Step it out, Mary, if you can
Step it out Nancy, if you can
Step it out, Mary, my fine daughter
Step it out Nancy, pretty darlin',
Show your legs to the country man (x2)
Show your legs to the wealthy man.
"I have come to court your daughter, Mary of the golden hair"
" I have come to court your daughter, Nancy of the golden hair,"
"I have gold and I have silver, I have lands beyond compare"
"I have wealth and I have money, I have goods beyond compare."
"I will buy her silks and satin and a gold ring for her hand"
"And I will buy her silks and satins, and a gold ring for her hand."
"I will build for her a mansion, she'll have servants to command"
"I will build for her a mansion, she'll have servants to command."
Chorus
"Kind sir I love a soldier, I have pledged to him my hands"
"Can't you see I love a cowboy and I've promised him my hand,
"I don't want your house or money, I don't want your gold nor land"
"I don't want your house and money, I don't want your goods and land."
Mary’s father spoke up sharply, "You will do as you are told"
Nancy's father spoke up sharply, said, "You'll do as you are told."
"You will marry him on Sunday and you will wear the ring of gold"
"You'll be married on a Sunday, you will wear that ring of gold."
Chorus
Chorus
Near the village of Kilgory there's a deep stream running by
It was there that they found Mary, she had drowned with her soldier boy
In the cottage there is music, you can hear her daddy say
Step it out Mary, my fine daughter, Sunday is your wedding day.
Well, the cattleman spoke with fury, said, "You will not have that man,"
And he rode from town in anger with his rifle in his hand.
He came back from Colorado; on his pony was a sack,
Deep red with the blood of the cowboy slung across his back.
Pretty Nancy cried in anguish, she wept and tore her hair,
She slipped into her father's room and found a pistol lying there.
On the Sunday came the wedding, the town folks gathered at noon,
They saw Nancy pull the pistol and shoot down that wealthy groom.
Chorus
Nancy said, "I am not sorry," when the jury heard the tale,
Though he rots beneath the filthy ground and I shall rot in jail."
There in the crowded courtroom twelve good folks took their stand,
Said, "We will not hold you, Nancy, for killing that wealthy man."
Chorus
(Note: this next verse is not typically included in "Step it Out, Nancy," but I am including it here because Holly Near includes it in her version, which is the one I chose to use for comparison").
Well I hope you get my meaning, It's not that murder pays
But that women must not be bought or sold, either then or now-a-days
We will choose our lovers, we will live out our own lives
We'll love who we please with a passion and a sparkle in our eyes
Chorus
The two songs are practically the same, having the same melody, tempo, and most of the same lyrics. However there are some key differences between the two songs. Most of them are flavor; the Nancy versions have more a country sound and instrumentation to them, which the Mary version are definitely more Celtic. They lyrical differences follow the same themes as well with Nancy's American Western setting and the imagery of the cattleman (as opposed to Mary's countryman) and the cowboy lover (instead of Mary's soldier). The biggest difference between the two songs, however, is the ending. Mild-Mannered-Mary and her soldier boy decide to recreate Romeo and Juliet, but Tough-As-Nails-Nancy would never take the easy way out. Oh no, Nancy takes an extra two verses and gets her revenge. Take a look at the two songs below:
"Step It Out, Mary" by Hair of the Dog (Youtube video is here)
"Step It Out, Nancy" by Holly Near (Youtube video is here)
In the village of Kilgory, there’s a maiden young and fair
Near Cheyenne in Wyoming there's a maiden fine and fair,
Her eyes they shone like diamonds, she had long and golden hair
Oh, her eyes they shone like diamonds, she had long and golden hair
Then a countryman came riding, he came to her daddy's gate
When the cattleman came riding he came to her father's door,
Mounted on a milk-white stallion, he came at the stroke of eight
Mounted on a milk white pony, he came at the stroke of four
Chorus:
Chorus:
Step it out, Mary, my fine daughter
Step it out Nancy, pretty darlin'
Step it out, Mary, if you can
Step it out Nancy, if you can
Step it out, Mary, my fine daughter
Step it out Nancy, pretty darlin',
Show your legs to the country man (x2)
Show your legs to the wealthy man.
"I have come to court your daughter, Mary of the golden hair"
" I have come to court your daughter, Nancy of the golden hair,"
"I have gold and I have silver, I have lands beyond compare"
"I have wealth and I have money, I have goods beyond compare."
"I will buy her silks and satin and a gold ring for her hand"
"And I will buy her silks and satins, and a gold ring for her hand."
"I will build for her a mansion, she'll have servants to command"
"I will build for her a mansion, she'll have servants to command."
Chorus
"Kind sir I love a soldier, I have pledged to him my hands"
"Can't you see I love a cowboy and I've promised him my hand,
"I don't want your house or money, I don't want your gold nor land"
"I don't want your house and money, I don't want your goods and land."
Mary’s father spoke up sharply, "You will do as you are told"
Nancy's father spoke up sharply, said, "You'll do as you are told."
"You will marry him on Sunday and you will wear the ring of gold"
"You'll be married on a Sunday, you will wear that ring of gold."
Chorus
Chorus
Near the village of Kilgory there's a deep stream running by
It was there that they found Mary, she had drowned with her soldier boy
In the cottage there is music, you can hear her daddy say
Step it out Mary, my fine daughter, Sunday is your wedding day.
Well, the cattleman spoke with fury, said, "You will not have that man,"
And he rode from town in anger with his rifle in his hand.
He came back from Colorado; on his pony was a sack,
Deep red with the blood of the cowboy slung across his back.
Pretty Nancy cried in anguish, she wept and tore her hair,
She slipped into her father's room and found a pistol lying there.
On the Sunday came the wedding, the town folks gathered at noon,
They saw Nancy pull the pistol and shoot down that wealthy groom.
Chorus
Nancy said, "I am not sorry," when the jury heard the tale,
Though he rots beneath the filthy ground and I shall rot in jail."
There in the crowded courtroom twelve good folks took their stand,
Said, "We will not hold you, Nancy, for killing that wealthy man."
Chorus
(Note: this next verse is not typically included in "Step it Out, Nancy," but I am including it here because Holly Near includes it in her version, which is the one I chose to use for comparison").
Well I hope you get my meaning, It's not that murder pays
But that women must not be bought or sold, either then or now-a-days
We will choose our lovers, we will live out our own lives
We'll love who we please with a passion and a sparkle in our eyes
Chorus
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
"Country Again" Lyrics
"County Again" by Ronnie Milsap
Country Again on Napster
Country Again on Youtube
Country Again on Spotify
Tommy bought him a hot-rod pickup
I guess it was about 10 years ago,
And every night in his garage
He worked on that Dodge
And never told a soul.
One night he decided to unveil that thing
For the whole town to see.
I think we thought he was a little crazy
When he said it was some kind of time machine.
Then a voice from the crowd said "prove it"
And that's just what Tommy did.
He went and pulled the clutch on that old pickup
Which sounded something like this...
(Move out of the way)
Just before he disappeared into thin air,
He said I'm going to the future ya'll,
And just like that he was riding back,
And here is what he saw.
He said "There were cars that flew down 5th Avenue,
And where that co-op sits right now
There's a sky-scraper a mile high
That'd make you dizzy when you look down.
He went on and on about robots and what not,
And Lord knows the stories that he told,
But nothing amazed him quite as much
As what he heard on the radio.
It was country again, so the future looks bright.
Those folks of tomorrow play their music right.
They're still holding on
To that down-home tradition.
It just about went.
We thought we lost our old friend
It was country again.
Tommy reached into his shirt pocket
and pulled out a song he had smuggled back.
He popped it in, and when he did,
It sounded a whole lot like the past.
The boy sang just like he had lived
Every single word.
And you could feel the joy,
And you could feel the pain,
And we all knew that we'd heard...
Country again, so the future looks bright.
Those folks of tomorrow play their music right.
They're still holding on
To that down-home tradition.
It just about went.
We thought we lost our old friend
It was country again
Yeah, it just about went.
We thought we lost our old friend,
It was country again.
Country Again on Napster
Country Again on Youtube
Country Again on Spotify
Tommy bought him a hot-rod pickup
I guess it was about 10 years ago,
And every night in his garage
He worked on that Dodge
And never told a soul.
One night he decided to unveil that thing
For the whole town to see.
I think we thought he was a little crazy
When he said it was some kind of time machine.
Then a voice from the crowd said "prove it"
And that's just what Tommy did.
He went and pulled the clutch on that old pickup
Which sounded something like this...
(Move out of the way)
Just before he disappeared into thin air,
He said I'm going to the future ya'll,
And just like that he was riding back,
And here is what he saw.
He said "There were cars that flew down 5th Avenue,
And where that co-op sits right now
There's a sky-scraper a mile high
That'd make you dizzy when you look down.
He went on and on about robots and what not,
And Lord knows the stories that he told,
But nothing amazed him quite as much
As what he heard on the radio.
It was country again, so the future looks bright.
Those folks of tomorrow play their music right.
They're still holding on
To that down-home tradition.
It just about went.
We thought we lost our old friend
It was country again.
Tommy reached into his shirt pocket
and pulled out a song he had smuggled back.
He popped it in, and when he did,
It sounded a whole lot like the past.
The boy sang just like he had lived
Every single word.
And you could feel the joy,
And you could feel the pain,
And we all knew that we'd heard...
Country again, so the future looks bright.
Those folks of tomorrow play their music right.
They're still holding on
To that down-home tradition.
It just about went.
We thought we lost our old friend
It was country again
Yeah, it just about went.
We thought we lost our old friend,
It was country again.
Friday, August 19, 2016
"It Only Takes One" Lyrics
"It Only Takes One" on Napster
"It Only Takes One" on Spotify
The song is not available on Youtube but Here is Travis Wayne's Youtube account
"It Only Takes One"
By Travis Wayne
They kicked John's best friend out of school
He can't even say his name
He's already been warned
The next time its 3 days
If it was selling drugs, fighting,
Or had a gun John could relate
But it was something stupid
Separation of church and state
John's never thrown a punch.
He keeps turning the other cheek
He swallows hard and bites his tongue
When they call him a Jesus Freak
It only takes one young rebel
One cause to cause trouble
One pebble in a pond can start a wave
You know how folks get carried away
One tree can grow a forest
One man came before us
He blazed a trail, took three nails,
And built a kingdom to come
Saving millions
It only takes one
Now John's got 3 or 4 buddies
Looks like he's gaining ground
They gather at the flag pole every morning
Eyes closed, and heads bowed
One kid's dad's in prison
Another's got a mama hooked on crack
John's doing what he's led to do
And you can't argue with that
Cause gangs are getting smaller
And dealers are getting caught
Thanks to kids just like John
And praise to God
It only takes one young rebel
One cause to cause trouble
One pebble in a pond can start a wave
You know how folks get carried away
One tree can grow a forest
One man came before us
He blazed a trail, took three nails,
And built a kingdom to come
Saving millions
It only takes one young rebel
One cause to cause trouble
One pebble in a pond can start a wave
You know how folks get carried away
One tree can grow a forest
One man came before us
He blazed a trail, took three nails,
And built a kingdom to come
Saving millions
It's only takes one
Travis Wayne is a country artist I discovered recently and liked immediately. However, it appears that he has retired from the country music scene as of 7-4-2016. He made the following announcement on his facebook page:
"Ok so I've thought about it for a while and I wanted everyone to hear it from me first. I am officially going to retire from playing music. I've spent the last 7 years traveling, playing, and entertaining all of you and it's been a blessing. I've been able to do and see some amazing things. But there is another side of music that I don't much care for. The band part being one. Just tired of having to deal with other members who are usually unappreciative and deceitful. Those who know me know drugs and such has never been my thing. Unfortunately other band members do not see things the way I do. Nashville is a nasty, cut throat town and I'm not willing to change into someone I don't wanna be for them. Does this mean I'll never play again? Of course not. I'll always find a stage to sing and play on. I'm just done dealing with all the unnecessary drama that comes with everything. I love you all and want you all who have truly supported my music to know I love and appreciate each one of you. As I said earlier, I'll continue to play just not to the caliber I was! Thank you all again for an amazing experience!"
Frankly, I don't blame him. It doesn't sound like an avenue I would want to travel either. However, I'm sad that country music has lost an artist with such potential, and I'm especially sad that he retired so shortly after I learned about him.
"It Only Takes One" on Spotify
The song is not available on Youtube but Here is Travis Wayne's Youtube account
"It Only Takes One"
By Travis Wayne
They kicked John's best friend out of school
He can't even say his name
He's already been warned
The next time its 3 days
If it was selling drugs, fighting,
Or had a gun John could relate
But it was something stupid
Separation of church and state
John's never thrown a punch.
He keeps turning the other cheek
He swallows hard and bites his tongue
When they call him a Jesus Freak
It only takes one young rebel
One cause to cause trouble
One pebble in a pond can start a wave
You know how folks get carried away
One tree can grow a forest
One man came before us
He blazed a trail, took three nails,
And built a kingdom to come
Saving millions
It only takes one
Now John's got 3 or 4 buddies
Looks like he's gaining ground
They gather at the flag pole every morning
Eyes closed, and heads bowed
One kid's dad's in prison
Another's got a mama hooked on crack
John's doing what he's led to do
And you can't argue with that
Cause gangs are getting smaller
And dealers are getting caught
Thanks to kids just like John
And praise to God
It only takes one young rebel
One cause to cause trouble
One pebble in a pond can start a wave
You know how folks get carried away
One tree can grow a forest
One man came before us
He blazed a trail, took three nails,
And built a kingdom to come
Saving millions
It only takes one young rebel
One cause to cause trouble
One pebble in a pond can start a wave
You know how folks get carried away
One tree can grow a forest
One man came before us
He blazed a trail, took three nails,
And built a kingdom to come
Saving millions
It's only takes one
Travis Wayne is a country artist I discovered recently and liked immediately. However, it appears that he has retired from the country music scene as of 7-4-2016. He made the following announcement on his facebook page:
"Ok so I've thought about it for a while and I wanted everyone to hear it from me first. I am officially going to retire from playing music. I've spent the last 7 years traveling, playing, and entertaining all of you and it's been a blessing. I've been able to do and see some amazing things. But there is another side of music that I don't much care for. The band part being one. Just tired of having to deal with other members who are usually unappreciative and deceitful. Those who know me know drugs and such has never been my thing. Unfortunately other band members do not see things the way I do. Nashville is a nasty, cut throat town and I'm not willing to change into someone I don't wanna be for them. Does this mean I'll never play again? Of course not. I'll always find a stage to sing and play on. I'm just done dealing with all the unnecessary drama that comes with everything. I love you all and want you all who have truly supported my music to know I love and appreciate each one of you. As I said earlier, I'll continue to play just not to the caliber I was! Thank you all again for an amazing experience!"
Frankly, I don't blame him. It doesn't sound like an avenue I would want to travel either. However, I'm sad that country music has lost an artist with such potential, and I'm especially sad that he retired so shortly after I learned about him.
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