Song Lyric Sunday – “Battle of New Orleans”

My contribution to Song Lyric Sunday for this week’s “new” theme is a song that I loved when I was a kid. “Battle of New Orleans” is about a real battle during the War of 1812. Written by Jimmy Driftwood (born James Morris) and sung by Johnny Horton, the song won a Grammy for Song of The Year in 1959.

“Battle of New Orleans”

In 1814 we took a little trip
Along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississippi
We took a little bacon and we took a little beans
And we caught the bloody British in the town of New Orleans

We fired our guns and the British kept a-comin’
There wasn’t nigh as many as there was a while ago
We fired once more and they began to runnin’
On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico

We looked down the river and we seed the British come
And there must have been a hundred of ’em beatin’ on the drum
They stepped so high and they made their bugles ring
We stood behind our cotton bales and didn’t say a thing

We fired our guns and the British kept a-comin’
There wasn’t nigh as many as there was a while ago
We fired once more and they began to runnin’
On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico

Old Hickory said we could take ’em by surprise
If we didn’t fire our muskets till we looked ’em in the eyes
We held our fire till we seed their faces well
Then we opened up our squirrel guns and gave ’em
Well, we

Fired our guns and the British kept a-comin’
There wasn’t nigh as many as there was a while ago
We fired once more and they began to runnin’
On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico

Yeah they ran through the briers and they ran through the brambles
And they ran through the bushes where a rabbit couldn’t go
They ran so fast that the hounds couldn’t catch ’em
On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico

We fired our cannon till the barrel melted down
So we grabbed an alligator and we fought another round
We filled his head with cannonballs ‘n’ powdered his behind
And when we touched the powder off, the gator lost his mind

We fired our guns and the British kept a-comin’
There wasn’t nigh as many as there was a while ago
We fired once more and they began to runnin’
On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico

Hut, hut, three, four
Sound off, three, four
Hut, hut, three, four
Sound off, three, four
Hut, hut, three, four

Song Lyric Sunday — “Season’s Song”

With “season” as this week’s theme, you’d think a Christmas song would be an appropriate choice for Song Lyric Sunday. But not for me. So many classic rock songs played in my mind, I headed to YouTube, figuring that videos would help me make my choice. While there, I discovered a gem, new to me, “Season’s Song” from Robert Plant’s 2017 album “Carry Fire.” Plant’s beautiful, dreamy singing surprised me. The sound is almost the polar opposite of Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant.

Usually, when I pick a Song Lyric Sunday song, my choice is based on any combination of love of the performer, love of the overall song, or love of the video. Those categories were not as influential this time, however. Today I truly chose this song based primarily on the lyrics. On this 23rd of December, on what would have been my and my late husband’s 39th wedding anniversary, the lyrics seem appropriate and bittersweet.

Season’s Song

Oh my love, what is there left to do?
The youth that slept inside me went away when I found you
Oh my love, what is there to be done?
My senses have escaped me, my mind is on the runOh, my love
Oh, my love

The nights grow long, there’s snow upon the hill
The taste upon your lips of summer’s slow farewell
No time my love, the bird is on the wing
Who stole my pretty songbird who no longer for me sings?

Oh, my love
Oh, my love

Oh, crazy Love
Oh-oh

(Ah ah) Oh, season’s song
(Ah ah) Oh, season’s song
(Ah ah)

To dream my love, the desert in my soul
Of peace along the wayside on this solitary road
Oh my love, when all is said and done
I hear the sounds of heaven in your wondrous season’s song

Oh, my love
Oh, my love

Oh crazy, crazy love
Oh crazy love
My love, my love
Oh, my crazy love
Crazy love

Written by:

Justin Adams / John Baggott / William Fuller / Robert Plant / Liam Tyson

Song Lyric Sunday — “Not My Girl”

It’s Song Lyric Sunday! Helen Vahdati decided to flip last week’s “boys” theme and chose “girls” this week. So many songs to pick from, all great. I’ve decided to feature another singer-songwriter, Sawyer Fredericks, winner of The Voice Season 8 (2015) when he was 16. Throughout that season, his weekly performance landed in iTune’s Top 10, aided by my weekly purchase. His The Voice sales broke series records with ten Top 10 singles and 14 in the Top 200 during the final week. Today, at 19, he’s a busy up-and-coming Americana singer.

But I’m not sharing any of those songs. This kid has been writing music since he was a 12-year-old homeschooled farm boy. At 14, two years prior to his The Voice win, he released his first CD independently. “Out My Window” was a full album, with 15 songs all written by Sawyer. “Not My Girl” is one of them, and he still includes it in his live sets.

You know I can’t resist sharing two videos of my picks; why should this week be any different? The contrast between his voice and his approach to the song shows his evolution from kid to young adult. Enjoy!

“Not My Girl“

(And I)*
Walked cross the street
To your house
Knocked on the door
To see who was around
You came to answer
Well, I know you’re not my girl
But it still hurts to see you
With someone else.

I was running
For a long time
Then the sun shined in my eyes
And I had to stop
And think about my life.
I was mad, I was sad, I was feeling bad.
Cause I know you’re not my girl
But it still hurts to see you
With someone else
Well I know you’re not my girl
But it still hurts to see you
With someone else.

Said I’m sorry
I was only a friend to you
And I’m sorry
I was too scared to make my move.

Well I know you’re not my girl
But it still hurts to see you
With someone else.
Well I know you’re not my girl
But it still hurts to see you
With someone else
Someone else
Someone else
Someone else.

And I
Walked cross the street
To your house
Knocked on the door
To see who was around
You came to answer
Well, I know you’re not my girl
But it still hurts to see you
With someone else
Someone else
Someone else
Someone else.

*He opens both videos with this introductory phrase not included in any internet lyric site.

Song Lyric Sunday — “Down Boys”

Even when she’s not feeling great, Helen Vahdati still manages to come up with a theme for Song Lyric Sunday. I hope she’s soon feeling 100%. Thanks for giving us “boys.”

In my world, there’s a Cars song for every occasion. Here’s “Down Boys” written by Ric Ocasek; sung by Benjamin Orr for The Cars 1980 Panorama:

“Down Boys“

you were trying to be cute
and it didn’t work out
you were trying to be charming
and it didn’t come off
you were trying to be clever
a big waste of time
you were trying to get rough
but you’re waiting in line

[Chorus:]
you can’t make it with the down boys
they don’t hear a word you say
you can’t make it with the down boys
just stay out of their way

you were trying to be sharp
but they couldn’t wait
you were trying to be eternal
but that didn’t rate
you were trying to be smooth
you’re rough on the edges
you were trying to be hysterical
well i still ain’t laughing

[Chorus]

you were trying to be in
but they left you out
you were trying to be in
two different worlds
you were trying to be in
oscillation in shame
you were trying to be in
but you’re lost in the game

[Chorus]

Song Lyric Sunday — “The Last Rose of Summer”

Most weeks, when Helen Vahdati announces the theme for Song Lyric Sunday, I have trouble deciding on a song. Either I have too many ideas to choose from or cannot think of even one. This week, as soon as I saw the theme, Last, I didn’t think twice. The only choice for me is “The Last Rose of Summer” written by Irish poet Thomas Moore in 1805. Published as a song in 1813, the poem was paired with a traditional Irish tune published in 1792.

This haunting song has been recorded by many diverse artists over the past century, but my favorite version is sung by John McDermott, one of the three original Irish Tenors. I was happy to find a video of the PBS performance that introduced me to the song. McDermott was not participating in the full performance with the Irish Tenors that night, as his mother had recently passed away, but performed this, his parent’s favorite song, in honor of them. Although he sang only the first and last verses at that time, I have provided all three verses of Moore’s lyrics. (I love McDermott’s rendition so much that I can’t resist posting a second video that is a studio version of all three verses. If I knew how, I would also post audio from McDermott’s 2005 album “A Time To Remember” of his father, Peter McDermott, singing it.)

“The Last Rose of Summer”

‘Tis the last rose of summer,
Left blooming alone;
All her lovely companions
Are faded and gone;
No flower of her kindred,
No rosebud is nigh,
To reflect back her blushes,
Or give sigh for sigh.

I’ll not leave thee, thou lone one!
To pine on the stem;
Since the lovely are sleeping,
Go, sleep thou with them.
Thus kindly I scatter,
Thy leaves o’er the bed,
Where thy mates of the garden
Lie scentless and dead.

So soon may I follow,
When friendships decay,
And from Love’s shining circle
The gems drop away.
When true hearts lie withered,
And fond ones are flown,
Oh! who would inhabit
This bleak world alone?