1. |
Barbara Allen
03:38
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T'was in the merry month of May
When green buds all were swelling,
Sweet William on his death bed lay
For love of Barbara Allen.
He sent his servant to the town
To the place where she was dwelling,
Saying you must come, to my master dear
If your name be Barbara Allen.
So slowly, slowly she came up
And slowly she drew nigh him,
And the only words to him did say
Young man I think you're dying.
He turned his face unto the wall
And death in him was welling,
Good-bye, good-bye, to my friends all
Be good to Barbara Allen.
When he was dead and laid in grave
She heard the death bells knelling
And every strike to her did say
Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.
Oh mother, oh father, go dig my grave
And make it both long and narrow,
Sweet William died of love for me
And I will die tomorrow.
Barbara Allen was buried in the old churchyard
Sweet William was right beside her,
Out of sweet William's heart, there grew a rose
Out of Barbara Allen's a briar.
They grew up the old church spire
Till they could grow no higher
At the end they formed a true lover's knot
And the rose grew round the briar.
And the rose grew round the briar.
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2. |
Maggie Howie
03:41
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I am an Irishman by birth, my name is Michael Lee.
I fell in love with a pretty girl, which proved my destiny.
I fell in love with a pretty girl, Maggie Howie was her name.
It’s cruel that I have murdered her, I own it to my shame.
Maggie Howie was a farmer’s daughter, the truth to you I’ll tell
She resided in Napanee, where she was known quite well.
It’s true I loved her dearly, as you will understand,
For she was wearing my own gold ring upon her lily-white hand.
For a long time I courted her, I was filled with joy and pride
For a long time I courted her, I thought she’d be my bride
Night and day both passed away in my love’s company.
Her parents interfering, she would not marry me.
It was early one Tuesday morning, my love along did stray.
I overtook my darling, those words to her did say:
“My dearest dear, I must be severe and take away your life
Unless you promise to marry me, and become my lawful wife.”
She wrung her hands with anger and wept most bitterly.
Saying “Michael, do have mercy and do not murder me.”
But I was deaf to all her cries, no mercy could I show,
And in my hands I took the axe and struck that fatal blow.
My love she fell dead at my feet, it was a mortal wound,
And over her fair bosom the blood came pouring down.
I ran away into the woods, my sorrow to prevail,
But I was overtaken and sent to the county jail.
So it’s now I am a prisoner in the town of Napanee,
It’s there I’ll stand my trial and the judge will sentence me
For I know that I am guilty and I do deserve to die
For the murder of my own true love upon the gallows high.
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3. |
Ballad of Bill Dunbar
03:46
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Bill Dunbar was an able man as you understand,
Kind-hearted and obliging, a powerful able man.
No matter what you would profess he would always use you well,
You would never feel insulted in Dunbar’s big hotel.
Bill Dunbar in his former days was foreman for Mossom Boyd
And many the river he has run, both narrow, deep, and wide.
He was never known to send a man where trouble might draw near.
But he’d boldly take the lead himself without danger, dread, or fear.
Chorus
Bill Dunbar was an able man as you understand,
Kind-hearted and obliging, a powerful able man.
Bill drove to the races at Little lake, with Bob Cunningham
And returning home the same day, they ran into a storm
The snow blew hard, the night grew dark, and they lost their way,
They drove into Gannon’s Narrows at the foot of Pigeon Lake.
The team was lost, both men went down, the water piercing cold.
Poor Bill he fought hard for his life, he threw his mitts out on the ice
as a token where they died.
Chorus
It being on a Tuesday evening they met with their sad doom,
And their bodies weren’t recovered until Thursday afternoon.
They were taken right home to Kinmount; large crowds did gather there,
And the people came from far and near when they heard of the sad affair.
Chorus
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4. |
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My name is J.R. Burchill, that name I’ll never deny
I leave my aged parents, in sorrow for to die
For little did they think, that in my youth and bloom
I’d be taken to the scaffold, to meet my fatal doom
Thy will be done; Thy will be done
Come all you tender Christians, wherever you may be
Kindly pay attention to these few lines from me
On the fourteenth of November, I am condemned to die
For the murder of F.C. Benwell, upon the scaffold high
Thy will be done; Thy will be done
Benwell was an Englishman and had not yet a wife
He came to this country, to seek an honest life
They said that I betrayed him, unto a certain spot
And there with my revolver, poor Benwell he was shot
Thy will be done; Thy will be done
I tried to play off innocent, but found it would not do
The evidence being against me, approved I had no show
They took me to the prison, all in my youth and bloom
And there upon the scaffold, I must meet my fatal doom
Thy will be done; Thy will be done
My wife she came to see me, to bid her last farewell
She said it was heart rending, to leave me in the cell
She said, “My dearest husband, you know that you must die
For the murder of F.C. Benwell, upon the scaffold high”
Thy will be done; Thy will be done
‘Twas nine o’clock in the morning, and I knew my doom was near
I gathered up my courage, to prove I had no fear
The last few words were spoke, the words, “Thy will be done”
The trap door flew open—and Burchill he was hung
Thy will be done; Thy will be done
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5. |
What’s the Life of a Man
03:39
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As I went a-walking one morning at ease,
Viewing the leaves as they fall from the trees,
They were all in full motion appearing to be,
And those that were wilted, they fell from the tree.
Chorus
Then what is the life of a man any more than the leaves,
For a life has its seasons and why should we grieve,
Although on this earth we appear light and gay,
Like the green leaves that wither and soon fade away.
Oh don’t you remember a short time ago
How beautiful and green they all seem to grow?
The frost it bit hard and crippled them all,
A storm blew upon them and down they did fall.
Chorus
Look down in yonder churchyard, many graves you will see
Fell from this earth like the leaves from the tree,
Old age and affliction upon them did call,
And death and disease blighted them all.
Chorus
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6. |
The New Limit Line
03:02
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Now we left our own homes for the woods We were bent
The first night in Bobcaygeon with pleasure we spent
We put up at Harve 'Thompson‘s that night for a time
Who was hiring teams for The New Limit Line
Now the name of those fellows in Caygeon that night
Was O’Neil, George Ell, Pat Breck, and Jim White
Harve gave each a fiver and with them did sign
For to pay our way through to The New Limit Line
So we left there next morning precisely at eight
So as to reach Minden before it got late
Oh we landed in Minden that night just at nine
With hearts full of joy for The New Limit Line
So early next morning we spiked up our bunks
With toggles and sway bars to hold on to those trunks
Then we started to haul, for to haul the white pine.
Till we hauled he last load on The New Limit Line
Now our logs are all hauled, and we're homeward bound
And when we reach Dorset this toast will go round:
“Here’s health to Jim Campbell for he used us most kind‘
“Hope we’ll all meet again on The New Limit Line.“
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7. |
River Driver
03:22
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I sit at the table with my pipe in my hand
And think of the past, and frontier so grand
With my comrades all gone and duties at end
My hands now soft with no timber to tend
Chorus
I’d eat when I was hungry. I’d drink when I was dry
If the water didn’t drown me, I’d live till I die
The river didn’t drown me while over it I roamed
I was a river driver, far away from home.
There’s a farmer and a sailor, and likewise mechanics too
It takes all kinds of people to form a lumbering crew
The choppers and the sawyers they lay the timber low
The swampers and the teamsters, they draw it to and fro
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8. |
Shantyboy's Alphabet
04:05
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A is for axes that cutteth the pine
And B is for Billy Boy never behind
C is for the chopping we early begin,
D is for the danger we often are in.
E is for echos that through the woods ring
F is for the foreman, the boss of our gang.
G is for the grindstone, we grind our axe on,
H is for the handle so smoothly worn.
Chorus
So merry, so merry, so merry are we,
No mortal on earth is as happy as we.
Saw away, haul away, we chop with a song
Give a shanty boy whiskey and nothing goes wrong.
I is for iron, that marks all our pine,
J is for the jolly boys always on time.
K is for the keen edge on our axes we keep
L is for the lice that keep us from sleep.
M is for the moss we chink in our camps,
N is for the needle, we sew up our pants,
O is for the owls that hoot through the night
P is for pines we fall in daylight.
Chorus
Q is for quarrelling, we do not allow
R is for the rivers the logs they do plough
S is for the sled so stout and so strong
T is for the teams that haul them along.
U is for use we put our teams to,
V is for the valley we force our roads through,
W is for woods we leave in the spring
Of the other three letters tomorrow I’ll sing.
Chorus
X marks the spots that are all clear-cut
Y is for the yards that have all been shut
Z’s for zip lines that fly through the pines
And now we have brought all the letters in rhyme
Chorus
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9. |
Trans Canada Highway
03:14
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The boss said, "aboard boys ifs twenty to eight
If you don‘t want to work, you can catch the next freight
So pick up your shovels, there's work to be done
If you won‘t use a shovel, you can go on the bum.
Chorus
It‘s hailing it's raining but during the day
The Lord works with Bennett to keep clouds away
Now If I had Bennett where Bennet's got me
Let me tell you lads, he'd be weak at the knees
A year has gone by, boys, since I came on this road
and the weight of my savings is a terrible load.
I'd go on a trip, lads and all would be fine,
But the C.P excursions cost more man a dime
Chorus
In years that's to come, boys, you'll hear some folks say
The depression was awful, we worked for no pay
But when will that be boys? If you should ask me
My beard will be growing right down to my knees.
Chorus
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10. |
Beans, Bacon and Gravy
03:14
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Chorus
Oh, those beans, bacon, and gravy, they almost drove me crazy,
I’d eat them, I’d see them in my dreams.
When I woke up each morning, another day was dawning,
and I knew I’d have another mess of beans.
I was born long ago, in eighteen ninety-four,
I have seen many a panic, that’s for sure
I’ve been hungry, I’ve been cold, and now I’m growing old,
but the depression of thirty-one was the worst I’ve seen
We would congregate each morning, at the county barn at dawning
And everyone was happy, so it seemed,
but when our work was done we would file in one by one,
and thank the Lord for another mess of beans.
We’d forgotten about butter and for milk we just had water
And I hadn’t seen a steak in many a day.
For cakes and pies and jellies, we would substitute sow belly,
for which we worked on the county roads each day.
If there ever came a time when I had more than a dime
They would have had to put me under lock and key.
For I was broke for so long, I could only sing the songs,
of the workers and their misery.
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11. |
The Backwoodsman
02:43
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Oh well do I remember the year of forty-five
I think myself quite lucky to find myself alive
Harnessed up my horses, my business to pursue
Went hauling cordwood, as I often used to do
I only hauled one load, when I should have hauled four
Got to Omemee and I couldn't haul no more
The taverns, they be open, good liquor was flowing free
Hadn't emptied one glass, when another was filled for me
I met with an old acquaintance, and I dare not tell his name
He was going to a dance, I thought I'd do the same
He was going to that dance, where the fiddle was sweetly played
And the boys and girls all danced till the breaking of the day
I put my saddle on my arm and started for the barn
To saddle up grey nag, I thought I'd no harm
I saddled up grey nag, and rode away so still
I never drew a breath, till I came to Downeyville
I got to Downeyville and the night was far advanced
I got on the floor, to have a little dance
The fiddler, he being rested, his arm stout and strong
Played the round of old Ireland for four hours long
My father followed after, I heard the people say
He must have had a pilot, he'd never have found his way
He looked in every keyhole where he could see a light
Till his old grey locks were wet with the dew of the night
Oh well do I remember the year of forty-five
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12. |
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Hey, hey Baptiste, throw away that saw
Your old gum boots, and your mackinaw
Grab your dancing shoes and away we saw
It’s Saturday night in the Kawarthas
Saturday night in the Kawarthas
It’s Saturday night in the Kawarthas
The best old time that you ever saw
We all head down to Lakefield town
Saturday night for the big hoedown
Saturday night for the big hoedown
Old-time fiddles there to jazz ya
Pretty girls from Katchewanooka
Swing that gal from Baltimore
And tamarack‘er down on the old pine floor
And tamarack‘er down on the old pine floor
Our good friend Don from the Little Lake
Will wheeze a tune at the supper break
The Robs and John, they will be there too
And the Kirby boy’ll pull strings for you
The Kirby boy’ll pull strings for you
Hey, hey there Mac, throw away that axe
You and the rest of the lumberjacks
Grab your dancing shoes and away we saw
It’s Saturday night in the Kawarthas
Saturday night in the Kawarthas
Hey, hey Marie, come along with me
This is your old Mac, and we’re on a spree
Grab your dancing shoes and away we saw
It’s Saturday night in the Kawarthas
Saturday night in the Kawarthas
Hey, hey there Mac, throw away that saw
Your old gum boots, and your mackinaw
Grab your dancing shoes and away we saw
It’s Saturday night in the Kawarthas
Saturday night in the Kawarthas
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Backwoodsmen Peterborough, Ontario
The members of Backwoodsmen met while playing traditional music at Lang Pioneer Village Museum in Keene, Ontario. They firmed up their collaboration as part of a long term traditional music and art project that came to a conclusion in 2022 with the two Cross Cut albums ... more
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