Appalachian Song - Dan Cunningham

Track 7

MABEL is set in Appalachia but has a swampy blues feel about it. Yes, they get the blues in them there hills. A slim ray of hope offered, but it is still a sad song. Many thanks to Josh Arthurs who added the dobro to this track. Also thanks to Kathryn Madison who encouraged me to re-record this song and make it more blues-like. Along with Jenny Wilson, she also suggested I keep the arrangements on the whole album project simple and use fiddle and mandolin on the appropriate tunes.

MABEL is a 2017 Just Plain Folks Music Awards finalist in the Roots category

here are the lyrics:

When the sun hangs low in the evening 

Mabel so pretty and so pale

She lugs her scuttle, with flowers painted on it

To scavenge coal along the rails

Mabel doesn't laugh a lot

Don’t much hear her complain

A little gift might bring a crooked smile

some berries or sorghum sugar cane

(chorus) I saw Mabel crying by the rail road tracks

I moved up close and took her hand

Her eyes glued to the ground

She said, "Someday"

(bridge) She had a shiner when I saw her at the spring

She tried to hide it best she could

She didn’t say a word, and neither did I

I hope she knew I understood

chorus

I said, "now Mabel,  with your momma gone

let's wed and get away"

She shook her head

She said "we're so young"

“And baby brother still at home”

“I pray that day might surely come”

“May-be  Someday…..”

© 2010 pickndawg music

words and music by Dan Cunningham

Dan Cunningham: guitar and vocal

Evan Lintz: bass drum

Dobro: Joshua Arthurs

recording info :

guitars: Larrivee SD50

Mic: RodeNTK

preamp: Art Digital MPA Gold

Dobro recorded at Zone 8 Studio

guitar and vocal recorded in the BOOM CLOSET Morgantown WV

mixed and mastered at Zone 8 Studio Morgantown WV by Mark Poole

VIDEO BELOW

basic video - guitar and vocal