Fields of Glory - High Kings

An amazing song...

The first several times I didn't listen to well and I thought it was about soldiers or something. I think I might like it better that way. It's awful cool song to be just about football...




Enjoy,
Miss Pickwickian

John Riley - Tim O'Brien

This has always been one of my favorite Tim O'Brien songs on our well loved copy of his CD "The Crossing." Unfortunately the chorus rings too true.

Tim O'Brien may have his oddities (visual and musically)...but he has an amazing voice! I love his music (especially his versions of Bob Dylan songs...but you should all know that since I've railed about it several times:-).



John Riley came form Galway town in the years of the Irish hunger
And he sailed away to America when the country was much younger
The place was strange and work was scarce and all he knew was farming
So he followed his other Irish friends to a job in the US Army

Adventure calls and some men run, and this is their sad story
Some get drunk on demon rum and some get drunk on glory

They marched down Texas way to the banks of the Rio Grande
They built a fort on the banks above to taunt old Santa Anna
They were treated bad, paid worse, and then the fighting started
The more they fought the less they thought of the damned old US Army

Adventure calls and some men run, and this is their sad story
Some get drunk on demon rum and some get drunk on glory

When the church bells rang on Sunday morn it set his soul a shiver
He saw the Senoritas washing their hair on the far side of the river
John Riley and two hundred more Irish mercenaries
Cast their lot, right or not, south of the Rio Grande

Adventure calls and some men run, and this is their sad story
Some get drunk on demon rum and some get drunk on glory

They fought bravely under the flag of the San Patricios
Till the Yankees soldiers beat them down at the battle of Churubusco
Then fifteen men were whipped like mules
And on the cheeks were hot iron branded
Made to dig the graves of fifty more, who a hanging fate had handed

Adventure calls and some men run, and this is their sad story
Some get drunk on demon rum and some get drunk on glory

John Riley stands and drinks alone at a bar in Vera Cruz
He wonders if it matters much if you win or if you lose
I'm a man who can't go home , a wanderer, says he
A victim of some wanderlust and divided loyalty

Adventure calls and some men run, and this is their sad story
Some get drunk on demon rum and some get drunk on glory


Thanks for reading,
Miss Pickwickian

Cathie Ryan

My favorite Cathie Ryan song is "High Up on a Mountain", but I have a lot that I like. :-) This is not my favorite arrangement of "I'm Going Back" but it is the only clear Cathie Ryan song on youtube. :-) Sorry about the odd video... But just wanted to share her voice. She sings with John Doyle and Tim O'Brien sometimes and it's truly beautiful.



Thanks for reading,
Miss Pickwickian

Brother Wind - Tim O'Brien

Made up my mind to go
Some place so far away, I headed west
Without a sad goodbye
No hugs or tears that way, it's probably for the best
Sent cards along the way
Said I was looking for a brand new life
I never settled down
My wanderlust would always cut the ties like a knife
Sometimes the lonesome wind
Calls out just like it knows me
And on a night like this
When I don't know where to go, he shows me the way

He knows me, my brother wind
He's lonely too and he takes me away

I always looked ahead
I was so afraid that I'd be caught behind
Followed a crooked stream
To places I'd never seen and one more highway sign
Just like some other guys
I count the hours 'til the day will end
But it's not so I can rest
For me it's the time that's best for talking to my friend

Cause he knows me, my brother wind
He's lonely too and he takes me away

Now half my life is gone
The only home I have is open road
My skin is cracked and brown
A mirror to the dessert ground and the dusty wind that blows
I never made a mark
Just scattered footsteps on the shifting sand
Whatever pushes me
It's something only he can understand

He knows me, my brother wind
He's lonely too and he takes me away