COLD AS THE CLAY – GREG GRAFFIN – 2006

Eu tardo mas eu não falho!

Aqui estão as letras do Cold as the Clay, de 2006, segundo álbum-solo de Gregory Walter Graffin (o primeiro é o American Lesion, de 1997, cujas letras estão em American Lesion – Greg Grafin – 1997), vulgo GREG GRAFFIN (comentado em Oeeeeeeeee, Fudeu!).
Nas palavras do mesmo: “[Cold as the Clay] é uma homenagem ao legado da música americana... (...) Canções tradicionais que foram a válvula de escape da cultura estadunidense dos séculos 18 e 19. as canções modernas são inspiradas em meu amor pelo country rock no estilo de Gram Parsons, The Band, Neil Young”.

COLD AS THE CLAY
GREG GRAFFIN
2006

DON’T BE AFRAID TO RUN
(Greg Graffin)
Down in the holler there’s a thriving town
A treasure trove that makes the world go ‘round,
When the city barons bring their legal papers and guns,
Oh darlin’, don’t be afraid to run

When we came to settle here we came to stay,
Maybe raise a family, earn a decent wage,
Now every public servant reeks of suspicion,
So darlin’ don’t be afraid to run

Darlin’ don’t be afraid to run,
And don’t turn your back on the noonday sun,
Someday redemption will wash everyone,
But there’s no telling when that day will come
So darlin’ don’t be afraid to run

Maybe we’ll rendezvous out in nowheresville,
Or maybe we'll find each other runnin’ still
Until we reach that auspicious liaison
Darlin’ don’t be afraid to run

Darlin’ don't be afraid to run,
And don't turn your back on the noonday sun,
The people will greet you with derision,
You’ll never be their model citizen
So darlin’ don’t be afraid to run

OMIE WISE
(traditional)
Come listen to my story, I’ll tell you no lies, how John Lewis did murder a little Omie Wise,
He asked her to meet him at Adams’s spring, said he'd bring her money and other fine things,
So fool-like she met him at Adams’s spring, no money he brought her nor other fine things

John Lewis, John Lewis, won’t you tell me your mind, do you intend to murder me or leave me behind?
Little Omie, Little Omie, I will tell you my mind, my plan is to drown you and leave you behind,
Have mercy on my baby and spare me my life, I’ll go home as a beggar and never be your wife

He hugged her and he kissed her and turned her around and threw her in deep water where he knew that she would drown,
It was on one Thursday morning the rain came pouring down and they searched for Omie’s body but it nowhere could be found,
Two boys went a fishin’ one fine summer day and they saw little Omie’s body go floating away

They called for John Lewis to come to that place so he could see her body and they could see his face,
Though he made no confession they threw him in jail, no friend nor relation would go on his bail

COLD AS THE CLAY
(Greg Graffin)
Whispers of ancients buried by dust,
Echoes of ages in canyons of rust,
Is heaven so lonely? I’ll know soon enough

Cold as the clay, dark as a mine,
Wasting away blood, sweat, and grime
Panning for gold, picking for dimes, lying in wait for better times

The tools of the trade lie shopworn and old
The skills of the master done died with his soul
And the work like routine is so lonely and cold

Cold as the clay, dark as the mine,
Wasting away, blood, sweat and grime,
Panning for gold, picking for dimes, lying in wait for better times

The land was converted, the river was moved,
The village expanded, some say it's improved,
But the lingering feature is a grim attitude

LITTE SADIE
(traditional)
Went out last night to take a little round, I met a little Sadie and I blowed her down,
Bummed a ride home, got in to bed, 44 smokeless under my head

I began to think what the deed I’d done, grabbed my hat and away’d I run,
Made a good run just a little too slow, (they) overtook me in Jericho

Standin’ on the corner, ringin’ the bell, up walks the sheriff from Thomasville
Says “young man is your name Brown? ‘Member that night you shot Sadie down?”

Oh yes sheriff my name is Lee, I murdered little Sadie in the first degree,
First degree, second degree, if you got any papers you can read ‘em to me

Took me downtown, dressed me in black, put me on a train and they sent me back,
Had no one for to go my bail, (they) crammed me back in the county jail

Judge and the jury took their stand, the judge held the paper in his right hand,
41 days, 41 nights, 41 years to wear the ball and the stripes

HIGHWAY
(Greg Graffin)
Tired old man you’re a wastin’ slowly battling grey and blue,
Built your empire as a shell so nobody prays on you,
Remember when you were fresh and bitter like a blossom in its bud?
Struggle to keep the memories free from the sweat and blood,
Just to generalize, you sleep and you rise, you fail to recognize,
Like the Red Queen, you’re running out of steam every mile,
The highway of denial

What a funny way to spend the day like a farmer deep in debt,
Tending to the coming harvest, ever trying to forget,
Don’t you feel like you wanna run away from the mess that you’ve begun?
Now that they won't let you make it up as you go along,
Just to generalize, you sleep and you rise, you fail to recognize,
Like the Red Queen, you’re runnin’ out of steam every mile,
The highway of denial

REBEL’S GOODBYE
(Greg Graffin)
Oh the lilies were laid on the marble in the field where the ancestors lay,
And the forest was dark and primeval but the boughs seemed to cradle as they swayed,
And the church choir sang hallelujah, and the vernal breeze whispered a sigh,
Watch the brethren all stand, praise their God, raise your hand,
Tow the bell for the Rebel’s goodbye

When the boots hit the dirt in formation the mood was determined and bright,
And a young, hopeful boy at the station watched the train carry troops to the fight,
But the generals died by assassins, the battalions dispersed on the fly,
And they paid for their sins with the blood of their kin,
Tow the bell for the Rebel’s goodbye

In the dark heathen barracks of failure where the tormenters wait for the night,
And the sheltering sky hears their lost, tattered cries,
Tow the bell for the Rebel’s goodbye

TALK ABOUT SUFFERING
(traditional)
(com Jolie Holland)
Talk about sufferin’ here below and let's keep a lovin’ Jesus
Talk about suffering here below and let's keep a followin’ Jesus
Oh can’t you hear it brothers (mother, father)? And don’t you want to go?
And leave this world of sorrow and trouble here below.
The gospel train is coming, now don’t you want to go?
And leave this world of sorrow and trouble here below.

WILLIE MOORE
(traditional)
Willie Moore was a young man, his age 21 and he courted a damsel fair
Oh, her eyes were as white as a diamond after night and a wavy jet black wore her hair
He courted her by night and day until marriage they did agree
Oh, but when he came to get her parents’ consent they said it could never be
She threw herself in Willie Moore's hands as often they’ve done before
Oh, but little did he think as he left her that night, sweet Annie he would see no more
It was about the 10th of may, a time I remember it well
That very same night little Annie disappeared in a way no tongue can tell
Sweet Annie was loved both far and near, she had friends almost all around
And near a little brook not far from her home the body of sweet Annie were found
Her parents now are left alone, one mourns while the other’n weeps
And near a grassy mound outside the cottage door the body of sweet Annie sleeps
Willie Moore scarcely spoke to his friends they say from the moment they both did part
And his last day was spent near his true lover’s grave where he died of a broken heart

CALIFORNIA COTTON FIELDS
(Dallas Frazier & Earl Montgomery)
(com Jolie Holland)
My driftin’ memory goes back to the spring of ‘42 when I was just a child in Momma’s arms,
My Daddy plowed the fields and prayed and did all he could do to save that broke-down Oklahoma farm,

Then one night I heard my Daddy sayin’ to my Momma, that he finally saved enough for us to go,
California was his dream, a paradise that he had seen, the pictures and the magazines had told him so

California cotton fields, where labor camps were filled with worried men and broken dreams,
California cotton fields, was as close to wealth as Daddy ever came

Almost everything we owned was sold or left behind, from Daddy’s tools to the fruit that Momma canned,
Some folks came to say farewell and see what all we had to sell, some just came to shake my Daddy’s hand

The model T was loaded down and California bound and the dream of hope was just four days away,
But the only change that I remember seein’ in my Daddy was when his brown hair turned to silver grey

California cotton fields, where labor camps were filled with worried men and broken dreams,
California cotton fields, was as close to wealth as Daddy ever came

THE WATCHMAKER’S DIAL
(Greg Graffin)
Oh, yonder stands the prophet, words are music to our ears,
But down among the sinners, only pain and sweat and tears

The sermon soothes the simple but the rest are rapt with fear,
Oh no, too late to hold a trial, time doesn't wait for the watchmaker’s dial

In the best laid plans of history lie the ruins of the past
And a chronicle of suffering shows the mythic pall they cast

To believe is true religion but to see is truth at last
Oh no, too late to hold a trial, time doesn’t wait for the watchmaker’s dial

Time doesn’t wait for the watchmaker’s dial

ONE MORE HILL
(traditional)
Rich man, poor man, beggar or thief, no matter which one in this life you lead
If you think you’ve reached the top of the world just look all around and you’ll see
There’s one more hill, just one more hill, there’s always a hill left to climb
If you think you’ve reached the top of the world the hill of judgment is still left to climb
There’s a hill that you build every day that you live, the deeds that we do here below
And tomorrow comes when we reach up above, you may climb that mountain and reach heaven’s door
There’s one more hill, just one more hill, there’s always a hill left to climb
If you think you’ve reached the top of the world the hill of judgment is still left to climb
The hill of judgment is still left to climb

Érika:

“Os problemas não se resolvem sozinhos, mas, com o seu apoio e confiança, certamente fica muito mais fácil resolvê-los!”