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Hilo

by Brother Joshua

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1.
Wave the ocean, wave the sea Wave that pretty girl back to me Wave the ocean, wave the sand Wave this time and wave again Wave the ocean, wave the shore Wave this time and wave no more Wave the ocean, wave the sand Wave this time and wave again
2.
Here I stand on the riverside, oh oh oh Here I stand on the riverside, oh oh oh Watch my body go floating by, oh oh oh Watch my body go floating by, oh oh oh oh oh oh Branches limp from silent trees, oh oh oh Birds pass mournfully for me, oh oh oh I reach my hand into the stream, oh oh oh But my hand won’t cling to anything, oh oh oh Find a rope Pull me in Wash the mud from my lily skin Kiss my brow Comb my hair Lift my soul into the air, oh oh oh Mother, say a prayer for me, oh oh oh Sister, play your tambourine, oh oh oh Father, sing a song for me, oh oh oh Capo 3 in the key of G, oh oh oh
3.
Come and save my soul/ Come and save my soul Take me down to the river grounds and save me, save my soul… My brother and I were born/ Brother and I were born In an old gray shack under clouds of black on the shore of Sir Johns Run… We’d play our fiddles loud/ Play our fiddles loud We’d play our fiddles loud and we’d draw a crowd at the mine near Sir Johns Run… My brother gave me my name/ Brother gave me my name He called me Moses, said I arose like a beautiful, righteous flame… I had turned 21/ I had just turned 21 When we went to work where the devil lurks in the mines near Sir Johns Run… I heard the foreman shout/ I heard the foreman shout I heard the foreman shout and without a doubt The timber came down with a mighty sound They worked for hours trying to dig us out I saw the lamplight bulb go down, down, down, down When the smoke had cleared/ When the smoke had cleared I heard my brother’s prayer in the cloudy air The last words of his I’d hear… Come and save my soul/ Come and save my soul Take me down to the river grounds and save me… Take me down to the river grounds And save me, save my soul…
4.
Collage 01:21
5.
I drove this train for 45 years/ I drove this train for 45 years That lonely whistle is still in my ears Still in my ears/ Still in my ears They turned my soul to iron and coal They turned my soul to iron and coal My weary mind, I can’t control I can’t control/ I can’t control The bend in the rails Like the bones in my back They say John Henry himself laid these tracks I’m taking it home like Casey Jones Like Casey Jones/ Like Casey Jones My great-grandfather’s grave Lies outside of town You can see it from the tracks When the leaves are all down He worked the mines for most of his life Like I work this line/ Like I work this line They’ll take my gloves and they’ll take my hat They’ll take my shovel and close down my tracks But I’m taking their train/ I’m taking it back I’m taking it back/ I’m taking it back Now throw on the coal, I’m out of control Throw on the coal, I’m out of control I’m gonna take my load into the great unknown Into the great unknown/ Into the great unknown
6.
Thorough Joy 02:32
Peals of thunder, mystery; a creation, violent, formed A child dead and gone; awakened as a storm Unrelenting majesty in a fury sounds its horn A light for the forlorn, a path to be reborn Sight and sound have left their mark But there’s much that we don’t know We’ve ate but we’re not full We’re tired and un-consoled Light is crashing into dark, it’s out of our control And the blindness in our souls, heal and make it whole A broken heart, untethered, shouts an utterance in ire The sins of its desire A truth as real as fire A voice that softly severs pounds in answer to the crier With words shaper than iron That could shake the world entire A creature formed in darkness Hurls itself into the light A beauty born of strife, the miracle of life A mother’s gentle likeness From her arms, has taken flight To feel the sting of night To live beyond her sight
7.
Railroad Bill, sitting on the hill Never worked a day and he never will Ride… Railraod Bill, so mean and so bad Stole all the chickens that the poor farmer had Ride… Railroad Bill, waiting on a train He’s swinging his watch on a golden chain Over the ridge, over the range It’s the long black smoke from an East bound train Ride… Railroad Bill, riding on the tracks Carrying his money round in big, brown sacks Ride… Railroad Bill, 20 feet tall He spoke with the voice of a black bird’s caw And it’s ride… Railroad Bill, waiting on a train He’s swinging his watch on a golden chain Over the ridge, over the range It’s the long black smoke from an East bound train Ride… Ride…
8.
He carved you a ring to marry you He brought you diamonds and silver And set them by your shoes He placed the ring on your finger That’s when you knew He carved you a ring to marry you He built you a carriage to carry you To that home in the forest he made with his tools But you died on the way And his heart died too He built you a carriage To carry you He spun you a web to bury you Made of fine linen, and lace that was blue In a grave in the valley He lowered you He spun you a web To bury you
9.
Hilo 01:40
If I should die and be buried at sea A mermaid’s sweetheart I would be Johnny’s gone to Hilo Johnny’s gone to Hilo My Johnny’s gone What shall I do?
10.
I’m gonna sing of Your holy power I’m gonna sing it in my darkest hour Oh hallelujah, my eyes have opened Hallelujah, Thy Kingdom come I’m gonna shout upon raging seas Sing it while the blood runs out of me Oh hallelujah, my will is broken Hallelujah, Thy will be done I’m gonna sing of Your holy fire Shout it til my very breath expires I’m gonna shout it til the earth gives way Sing it so the whole wide world will say Hallelujah, my eyes have opened Hallelujah, Thy Kingdom come Hallelujah, my will is broken Hallelujah, Thy will be done
11.
Farewell, vain world, I’m going home My Savior calls and bids me come And I don’t care to stay here long Sweet angels beckon me away To sing God’s praise in endless day And I don’t care to stay here long I’m glad that I am born to die From grief and woe my soul shall fly And I don’t care to stay here long Bright angels shall convey me home Away to New Jerusalem And I don’t care to stay here long
12.
I was so lonely and I was so sad Along came my Savior and he said to me Do not despair, for I will be there Do no despair, for I will be there Do not despair, no do not despair Do not despair for I will be there Do not despair, for I will be there That’s what he said to me We walked along and he said to me Come follow me, for I will be there I will be there wherever you go Do not despair, for I will be there Do not despair, no do not despair Do not despair for I will be there Do not despair, for I will be there That’s what he said to me I was so lonely and I was so sad When all of my friends deserted me I hung on the tree for all of your sins Do not despair, for I will be there Do not despair, no do not despair Do not despair for I will be there Do not despair, for I will be there That’s what he said to me That’s what he said to me

about

A collection of Appalachian-inspired folk tunes grappling with the brutality of life on the hard road to redemption.

credits

released November 20, 2015

All songs written or adapted by Brother Joshua (except tracks 4 & 11, arranged with John King). Tracks 1, 7 & 9 are traditional. Track 11 is based on "I'm Going Home" (282 in the Sacred Harp songbook). Track 12 was written by Ellen Compton. Rhythm guitar, harmonica, banjo-guitar & lead vocals by Brother Joshua. Piano on track 4 written & played by Matt Kurtz. All other sounds by John King.
Photos & art by Brother Joshua.
Recorded, arranged & produced by Brother Joshua & John King.
Mixed by John King.
Mastered by Spencer Martin.

license

all rights reserved

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