Pretty Bird
CHOCOLATE ON MY TONGUE
ODE TO BILLIE JOE
MERCY NOW
LITTLE GLASS OF WINE
HE MOVES THROUGH THE FAIR
ST. TERESA
THIS LOVE WILL CARRY
OCTOBER SONG
TELL ME WHAT YOU ACHE FOR
HOLY NOW
I CAN’T STAND UP ALONE
PRETTY BIRD
Lyrics and Liner Notes
Produced by Tim O’Brien
Recorded and Mixed by Sean Sullivan at the Butcher Shoppe
Mastered by Eric Conn at Independent Mastering
Engineered by Sean Sullivan
Photography: Reto Sterchi
Package design: Kimberly Levitan
Cover painting: Deborah Denson
CHOCOLATE ON MY TONGUE
(Oliver Wood)
Royal Kook Music (BMI)
—
Jim Brock: Drums
Victor Krauss: Bass
Bill Cooley: Acoustic Guitar
Tim O’Brien: Bouzouki
Charlie McCoy: Harmonica, Bass Harmonica
Oliver Wood: Harmony vocal
—
Sittin’ on the front porch, ice cream in my hand
Meltin’ in the sun, all that chocolate on my tongue
That’s a pretty good reason to live
Pretty good reason to live
Sittin’ in the bathtub, hi-fi playin’ low
Diggin’ that Al Green, well you must know what I mean
That’s a pretty good reason to live
Pretty good reason to live
If I die young, at least I got some chocolate on my tongue
If I die young, at least I got some chocolate on my tongue
Sittin’ in the front seat, good boy in my arms
Smilin’ in my eyes, and gettin’ me all hypnotized
That’s a pretty good reason to live
Pretty good reason to live
If I die young, at least I got some chocolate on my tongue
If I die young, at least I got some chocolate on my tongue
If I die young, at least I got some chocolate on my tongue
If I die young, at least I got some chocolate on my tongue
————-
ODE TO BILLIE JOE
(Bobbie Gentry)
Northridge Music (ASCAP)
—
Jim Brock: Drums
Victor Krauss: Bass
Bill Cooley: Acoustic Guitar
Tim O’Brien: Acoustic Guitar
Dan Dugmore: Steel
—
It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day
I was out choppin' cotton, and my brother was balin' hay
And at dinner time we stopped and we walked back to the house to eat
And mama hollered out the back door, Y'all, remember to wipe your feet
And then she said, I got some news this mornin' from Choctaw Ridge
Today, Billy Joe MacAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge
Papa said to mama, as he passed around the blackeyed peas
Well, Billy Joe never had a lick of sense, pass the biscuits, please
There's five more acres in the lower forty I’ve got to plow
And mama said it was shame about Billy Joe, anyhow
Seems like nothin' ever comes to no good up on Choctaw Ridge
And now Billy Joe McAllister's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge
Brother said he recollected when he and Tom and Billie Joe
Put a frog down my back at the Carroll County picture show
And wasn't I talkin' to him after church last Sunday night?
I'll have another piece of apple pie, you know, it don't seem right
I saw him at the sawmill yesterday up on Choctaw Ridge
And now you tell me Billie Joe's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge
Mama said to me, child, what's happened to your appetite?
I've been cookin' all morning, and you haven't touched a single bite
That nice young preacher, Brother Taylor, dropped by today
Said he'd be pleased to have dinner on Sunday, oh, by the way
He said he saw a girl, looked a lot like you, up on Choctaw Ridge
And she and Billy Joe was throwing somethin' off the Tallahatchie Bridge
Well a year’s come and gone since we heard the news about Billy Joe
Brother married Becky Thompson, they bought a store in Tupelo
There was a virus going ‘round, papa caught it and he died last spring
And now mama doesn't seem to want to do much of anything
And me, I spend a lot of time pickin' flowers up on Choctaw Ridge
And drop ‘em into the muddy water off the Tallahatchie Bridge
I drop ‘em into the muddy water off the Tallahatchie Bridge
————-
MERCY NOW
(Mary Gauthier)
Mary Gauthier Songs (ASCAP)
Jim Brock: Drums
Victor Krauss: Bass
Bill Cooley: Acoustic Guitar
Tim O’Brien: Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
Dan Dugmore: Steel
Bobby Wood: Organ
My father could use a little mercy now
The fruits of his labor fall and rot slowly on the ground
His work is almost over, it won't be long, he won't be around
I love my father, he could use some mercy now
My brother could use a little mercy now
He's a stranger to freedom, shackled to his fear and his doubt
The pain that he lives in is almost more than living will allow
I love my brother, he could use some mercy now
My church and my country could use a little mercy now
As they sink into a poisoned pit, it's going to take forever to climb out
They carry the weight of the faithful who follow them down
I love my church and country, they could use some mercy now
Every living thing could use a little mercy now
Only the hand of grace can end the race towards another mushroom cloud
And the people in power, they'll do anything to keep their crown
I love life, and life itself could use some mercy now
Yeah, we all could use a little mercy now
I know we don't deserve it, but we need it anyhow
We hang in the balance, and dangle 'tween hell and hallowed ground
And every single one of us could use some mercy now
Yeah every single one of us could use some mercy now
——-
LITTLE GLASS OF WINE
(Jesse Winchester)
Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. (BMI)
—-
Ian Fitchuck: Drums
Dennis Crouch: Bass
Bill Cooley: Acoustic Guitar
Charlie McCoy: Vibes
—-
Little glass of wine, it’s a good thing you are here
You're warm on my lips, warm as a tear
A comfort to the fool who's restless in his mind
The lover's trusty potion, you little glass of wine
Little glass of wine, you're oil on my flame
Shy of the sunlight, hiding your shame
And many, many tears, the number is sublime
Shall stain a woman's bosom, for a little glass of wine
As soon as you learn that you don't live forever
You grow fond of the fruit of the vine
So here is to you and here is to me
And here is to the ones we've left behind
Little glass of wine sure makes the party gay
It’ll seal a lover's bargain, it’ill chase the blues away
So if you're feeling low and you want to rest your mind
Well, just run and fetch another little glass of wine
Yeah, just run and fetch another little glass of wine
———
HE MOVES THROUGH THE FAIR
(Trad, Arr. Bill Cooley, Kathy Mattea)
Nancy Lee Music (ASCAP)/Captain Potato Music (ASCAP)
—-
Kathy: Vocal
Bill Cooley: Acoustic Guitar
—-
My young love said to me, 'My mother won't mind,
And my father won't slight you for your lack of kine’ *
He went away from me and this he did say
'It will not be long, love, till our wedding day’
He went away from me and he moved through the fair
And slowly I watched him move here and move there
He went his way homeward with one star awake
As the swan in the evening moves over the lake
The people were saying no two were e'er wed
But one has a sorrow that never was said
And I smiled as she passed with her goods and her gear
And that was the last that I saw of my dear
I dreamt last night that my young love came in
He came in so sweetly, his feet made no din
He stepped up beside me, and this he did say
'It will not be long love, till our wedding day
It will not be long love, till our wedding day’
*In old English, “kine” refers to cattle, here referred to in terms of assets for the dowry
———-
ST. TERESA
(Eric M Bazilian, Richard Chertoff, Robert Hyman, Joan E Osborne)
Dub Notes/Human Boy Music/Monkey in the Middle Music (ASCAP), Womanly Hips Music (BMI)
—-
Ian Fitchuck: Drums, Organ
Dennis Crouch: Bass
Bill Cooley: Acoustic Guitar
Kathy Mattea: Acoustic Guitar
Tim O’Brien: Bouzouki, Mandolin
Suzy Ragsdale: Backing vocals
—-
She down on the corner, just a little crime
When I make my money, got to get my dime
Sit down with her baby, wind is full of trash
She bold as the street light, dark and sweet as hash
Way down in the hollow, leavin' so soon
Oh St. Teresa higher than the moon
Reach down for the sweet stuff, when she looks at me
I know any man sees you like I see
Follow down the side street movin' single file
She say, That’s where I'll hold you, sleeping like a child
Way down in the hollow, leavin' so soon
Oh, St. Teresa, higher than the moon
Just what I've been needin', feel it rise in me
She say, Every stone a story, like a rosary
Way down in the hollow, leavin' so soon
Oh, St. Teresa, higher than the moon
Are you cold up in the sky
Are you cold up in the clouds
Is there something you forgot to tell me
Tell me
Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me
Show me my Teresa, feel it rise in me
Every stone a story, like a rosary
———
THIS LOVE WILL CARRY
(Dougie MacLean)
Limetree Arts and Music (MCPS and PRS UK)
—-
Jim Brock: Drums
Victor Krauss: Bass
Bill Cooley: Acoustic Guitar
Kathy: Acoustic Guitar, backing vocal
Tim O’Brien: Bouzouki
Jennifer Kummer: French Horn
Carl Marsh: Horn Arrangement
Dougie MacLean: Harmony Vocal
——-
It’s a thin line that leads us and keeps us all from shame
Dark clouds quickly gather along the way we came
There's fear out on the mountain and death out on the plain
There's heartbreak and heartache in the shadow of the flame
CHORUS
This love will carry
This love will carry me
I know this love will carry me
The strongest web will tangle, the sweetest bloom will fall
And somewhere in the distance we try and catch it all
Success lasts for a moment and failure's always near
You look down at your blistered hands as turns another year
CHORUS
This love will carry
This love will carry me
I know this love will carry me
This love will carry
This love will carry me
I know this love will carry me
So these days are golden, they must not waste away
Time is like that flower and soon it will decay
And though by storms we're weakened, and uncertainty is sure
Like the coming of the dawn it's ours for evermore
CHORUS
This love will carry
This love will carry me
I know this love will carry me
This love will carry
This love will carry me
I know this love will carry me
This love will carry
This love will carry me
I know this love will carry me
————
OCTOBER SONG
(Carson Whitsett, Jon Vezner)
High Horse Music (BMI)/Mini Apples Music (BMI)
Bill Cooley: Acoustic Guitar
Victor Krauss: Bass
———————-
The leaves are falling, silhouetted by the sunset
Brushed across a cold October sky
The geese are calling, and it's really anyone's guess
How long before the snowflakes fly
And when I'll be over you, there's just no way to say when
Cuz as it is, I still miss you so
But I keep praying and waiting for that day when
I can finally let you go
And when at last I drift asleep, those dreams of you
Come back to keep me
Wishing I were lying in your arms
Those memories of when we made love
Are just so hard to let go of
Who am I supposed to be
When there's so much of you in me
Still every morning I keep searching for that sunrise
That lets me know this heartache's disappeared
But every evening, all I can see is your eyes
Reminding me that you're not here
Now the leaves are falling and the wind is growing colder
The ground will soon be painted white with snow
And still I wonder, while bidding farewell to October
When I can finally let you go
When I can finally let you go
————
TELL ME WHAT YOU ACHE FOR
(Jon Vezner, Oriah Mountaindreamer)
Mini Apples Music (BMI)/Oriah Mountaindreamer (GEMA)
Ian Fitchuck: Drums
Dennis Crouch: Bass
Bill Cooley: Acoustic Guitar
Tim O’Brien: Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
Dan Dugmore: Steel
Bobby Wood: Organ, Wurlitzer
Tim & Kathy: Backing vocals
—————
It doesn't interest me what kind of job you got
Where you eat or where you shop
The kind of car you drive
It doesn't interest me how big a house you own
What I really want to know
Is what makes you come alive
I don't want to talk about
How your future's all planned out
That isn't what it's all about to me
CHORUS
Tell me what you ache for
Tell me what you wait for
Tell me what you long for
What you're holding on for
Tell me what you're dreaming
What would give your life real meaning
You've been afraid to pray for
Tell me what you ache for
It doesn't interest me if your planets are aligned
If your signs are well defined
And your career is right on track
It doesn't interest me
If you’re faithful and you're true
If you're not true to you
Then where's the truth in that
I don't want to waste our time
Comparing all our stars and signs
That's not what makes us shine, to me
CHORUS
Tell me what you ache for
Tell me what you wait for
Tell me what you long for
What you're holding on for
Tell me what you're wishing
If there's something that seems missing
That somehow you've been saved for
Tell me what you ache for
BRIDGE
It doesn't frighten me, those secrets deep within you
I won't walk through fire for you but
I'll walk through the fire with you
CHORUS
So, tell me what you ache for
Tell me what you wait for
Tell me what you long for
What you're holding on for
Tell me what you're dreaming
What would give your life real meaning
That deep down your heart breaks for
Tell me what you ache for
Tell me what you ache for
——————————
HOLY NOW
(Peter Mayer)
Peter Mayer Music (ASCAP)
Ian Fitchuck: Drums, Organ
Dennis Crouch: Bass
Bill Cooley: Acoustic Guitar
Tim O’Brien: Bouzouki, Electric Guitar
Backing Vocals: Suzy Ragsdale, Odessa Settles, Calvin Settles
—————————
When I was a girl, each week
On Sunday, we would go to church
And pay attention to the priest
And he would read the holy word
And consecrate the holy bread
And everyone would kneel and bow
Today the only difference is
Everything is holy now
Everything, everything
Everything is holy now
When I was in Sunday school
We would learn about the time
Moses split the sea in two
Jesus made the water wine
And I remember feeling sad
That miracles don't happen still
But now I can't keep track
'Cause everything's a miracle
Everything, Everything
Everything's a miracle
Wine from water is not so small
But an even bigger magic trick
Is that anything is here at all
So the challenging thing becomes
Not to look for miracles
But finding where there isn't one
When holy water was rare at best
It barely wet my fingertips
But now I have to hold my breath
Like I'm swimming in a sea of it
I used to see a world half there
Heaven's second rate hand-me-down
But I walk it with a reverent air
'Cause everything is holy now
Everything, everything
Everything is holy now
Read a questioning child's face
And say it's not a testament
That'd be very hard to say
See another new morning come
And say it's not a sacrament
I tell you that it can't be done
This morning, outside I stood
And saw a little red-winged bird
Shining like a burning bush
Singing like a scripture verse
It made me want to bow my head
I remember when church let out
How things have changed since then
‘Cause everything is holy now
It used to be a world half-there
Heaven's second rate hand-me-down
But I walk it with a reverent air
'Cause everything is holy now
Everything, everything
Everything is holy now
Everything, everything
Everything is holy now
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah holy now
Everything is holy now
Holy now
—————-
I CAN’T STAND UP ALONE
Martha Carson
Words & music by Martha Carson
©1957 Marpat Music Publishers (BMI)
————-
One of these days I'm gonna take a vacation
To a quiet and a peaceful shore
And I'll cool my feet in those crystal waters
Where I won't have to work anymore
'Cause my burden has got a little heavy
Till I can't stand up all alone
I must lay my head down on one strong shoulder
'Cause I can't stand up all alone
No, you can't stand up all by yourself
You can't stand up alone
You need the touch of a mighty hand
You can't stand up alone
And trouble, I have seen trouble
All around my door
Go away and leave me old man trouble
I don't want your trouble any more
No, you can't stand up all by yourself
You can't stand up alone
You need the touch of a mighty hand
You can't stand up alone
Then a voice came down just like thunder
And a light all around me shone
It said, Get up child, take hold of my hand
You can't stand up all alone
Well you can't stand up all by yourself
You can't stand up alone
You need the touch of a mighty hand
You can't stand up alone
Well my burden has gotten so heavy
Till I can’t stand up all alone
Gonna go and find me one strong shoulder
I can’t stand up alone
Well, you can't stand up all by yourself
You can't stand up alone
You need the touch of a mighty hand
You can't stand up alone
You know you can't stand up all by yourself
You can't stand up alone
You need the touch of a mighty hand
You can't stand up alone
You can’t stand up alone
You can’t stand up alone
You can’t stand up alone
—————-
PRETTY BIRD
(Hazel Dickens)
Happy Valley Music/The Bicycle Music Co., Inc (BMI)
Kathy: Vocal
————
Fly away you little pretty bird
Fly fly away
Fly away little pretty bird
And pretty you’ll always stay
I see in your eyes a promise
Your own tender love you’d bring
But fly away little pretty bird
Cold runneth the spring
Loves own tender flames warm this meeting
And love’s tender songs you’d sing
But fly away little pretty bird
And pretty you’ll always stay
I cannot make you no promises
For love is such a delicate thing
But fly away little pretty bird
For he’d only clip your wings
Fly fly away you little pretty bird
Fly fly away
Fly away little pretty bird
And pretty you’ll always stay
Fly far beyond the dark mountain
To where you’d be free evermore
Fly away little pretty bird
Where the cold winter winds don’t blow