Lyrics

Never Knew Love

Once I knew a seafaring man

He set sail but he never made land

In a boat he went to sea

In that boat he left me

And though I mourn him day by day

In his salty grave he’ll stay

I never knew love

Not once, not love

Farmer’s son tills the land

Ploughs the fields, working man

He fell in love, but not with me

Cora May is his bride to be

And though I mourn him day by day

Pretty Cora is his maid

I never knew love

Not once, not love

Spring brings pouring rain

My heart fills with aching pain

I’ve seen empires fall and fortunes change

I never knew love

Not once, not love

Rambling man came to me

Said if you go roving I’ll sing to thee

He sang of love so high and sweet

But his tune did deceive

And though I mourn him day by day

On his path he went astray

I never knew love

Not once, not love

Believe 

He makes no promises he can’t keep

He speaks quite honestly, in truth, not to deceive

My eyes are open, yet I don’t see

The truth that lingers there, right in front of me

I still believe

Come to the morning with the light shining through

Speak not of the day that I’m missing you

Come to the night with the light turning down

Speak not of love for he never comes around

Yet I still believe

Tell me, why do I believe

He makes not promises he can’t keep

And when he speaks of love, he speaks to her and not to me

Although I could make this pledge of desire

It’ll do no good to set my world on fire

Yet I still believe

Tell me, why do I believe

Go Down Yonder 

Go down yonder to the field below

Leave behind the world you know

A shell of life, you shall be

And all around sweet misery

Go down yonder to the drinking well

Work all day till the dinner bell

Nothing to show for the price you’ve paid

To them you’re just a water maid

Nothing’s going to change me now

Nothing’s going to change me now

Everything I’ve tried somehow

Nothing’s going to change me now

Go down yonder to the sighing sea 

Look across to who you used to be

Far away and out of sight

Somehow those dreams just slipped your mind

Go down yonder in sweet relief

Who will mourn for what I tried to be

I stumbled on the traveler’s way

Searching for the debt to pay

Nothing’s going to change me now

Nothing’s going to change me now

Everything I’ve tried somehow

Nothing’s going to change me now

If I Were a Milkmaid 

If I were a milkmaid, I’d bring you my pail

If I were a captain, I would set sail  

But I am the ocean, ruled by the tide  

Cursed by the moon, I must abide  

If I were a baker, I’d bake you loaf  

If I were a vintner, I’d make you a toast  

But I am a sparrow, I fly by the dawn  

When the morning breaks, I will be gone  

Ooh,  ooh, ooh  

If I were a jeweler, I’d string you along  

If I were your lover, I’d sing you a song  

But I am a child, naïve to the touch  

Culled by misfortune, I call it as much 

I am the compass, you are the star  

I am the wildfire, you are the spark  

I am the dead wood, let me burn 

I am the dead wood, let it all burn  

When I was a milkmaid 

Gleam 

Young girl, just seventeen 

Wondering what in the world it could mean

To be so afraid, to be living free

Wondering who in the world she would be 

Well the world came knocking and I soon learned how

The world had a habit for laying me out

Down in the dirt with a tear in my shirt 

Blood in my hair and rocks between my teeth

If she could see me now

Would she wonder how

I got myself into this mess

If she could see me now

Would she understand how

I tried my very best

Young girl, but no beauty queen 

Driving round in some long lost dream

Sun goes down and you’re waiting on that gleam

Shooting the stars of some old memory

Time goes by, it gets hard to recollect

The way that it really was

It’s a long road up and a long road out

Somethings get better and some don’t work out

If she could see me now

Would she wonder how

I got myself into this mess

If she could see me now

Would she understand how

I tried my very best

Forgiveness 

Darling, if this goodbye 

Hear my voice, hear my pride 

To have known you, to have shown you my love 

Has been my one consoling prize 

Darling, if this goodbye 

Old friend, please be kind 

Though my loyalties have been tried 

I’ve stayed true to you in this life 

If ever you wander my way 

Seeking shelter, here is a place you can stay 

Though you wronged me, when I was right  

I’m holding onto forgiveness tonight 

Darling, if this goodbye 

Consider the words they may write

Be they truth or be they lies 

You will find me between the lines 

Darling, if this goodbye 

Old friend, do not cry 

Though we are parted in this life 

In my heart you’ll always reside 

If ever you wander my way 

Seeking shelter, here is a place you can stay 

Though you wronged me, when I was right  

I’m holding onto forgiveness tonight 

I’m holding on tonight

The Blackbird 

Along came a blackbird and said to me

Your true love shall no longer be faithful to thee

But these cruel words I could not believe

Said I’ll shoot the blackbird down

Still the words of the blackbird rang inside my head

And a darkening doubt did start to grow

I ran on home to find my true love

In the arms of another 

Sing cruel bird, I cried out in rage

And the bird began to crow

Sing cruel bird, you shall never fly again

When I shoot the blackbird down

Her skin was white as the purest snow

In her eyes a strange light did glow

But her hair was black as the morning bird

That stole my love away

In the morning they came with ball and chain

For the murder of my sweetheart and his lover

No bail shall be set for a woman deranged 

When her man has chosen another

Sing cruel bird, I cried out in rage

And the bird began to crow

Sing cruel bird, you shall never fly again

When I shoot the blackbird down

If the blackbird comes to thee, stop not to heed

The words upon her song

For the blackbird flies free, as she pleases

While I am caged and fettered

Sing cruel bird, I cried out in rage

And the bird began to crow

Sing cruel bird, you shall never fly again

When I shoot the blackbird down

The River

River’s moving and I’m standing still 

Knowing what I know, I should go

Down to the river on the rocky shore

By now she knows that I love her

With every ebb and flow

By now I know I must let her go

By now I know I must let her go

River’s moving and I’m standing still 

Knowing what I know, I should go

Down to the river on the rocky shore

She takes the shape of water

Wherever she goes, she knows she’ll just flow on by

Winter’s come, I’m freezing over

But the river she keeps on running wild

I am but the lightning, I am but the thunder

The anger in your voice that makes you wonder

Who you’ve been all these years, who have you been

River’s moving and I’m standing still 

Knowing what I know, I should go

Down to the river on the rocky shore

Now I’m the river and I’m running by

Changing course and I don’t know why

If I could leave the past behind 

But it all comes with me by and by

Fireflies 

Maybe the river stays the same

Perhaps it's you who’s changed

After all the trials and tribulations

I’m still chasing the blame

I will always come home

Where else would I go

I will always walk that lonely road

It’s the only one I know

When the clouds fill night sky

The stars still shine the same

If you try but you can’t find the light

The fireflies carry the flame

I will always come home

Where else would I go

I will always walk that lonely road

It’s the only one I know

Maybe the river stays the same

It's you who’s changed

Sing at Dawn 

Hear the blackbird, she sings at dawn

Hear my voice as I sing along

Hear the owl, she sings all night

Singing through the darkness till the morning light

And I sing to you

Will you sing to me

We can sing together in this harmony

Hear the whale singing through the deep

Swimming deeper than you’ll ever be

Hear the loon crying on the lake

Oh what a mournful song she makes

And I sing to you

Will you sing to me

We can sing together in this harmony

Johnny Sent to War

Johnny, Johnny sent to war

Said he would not fight no more

Johnny, it's a crying shame

They’ll leave you out in the wind and rain

I said, Johnny if you don't fight

For your crimes they'll take your life

Do you see that yonder tree

They’ll have you dancing in the leaves

But Johnny said he would not fight

Though the choice would end his life

Some find love and some find reason

Johnny fell for a spark of treason

Johnny, Johnny sent to war

Said he would not fight no more

Johnny, it's a crying shame

They’ll leave you out in the wind and rain

When hanging day comes as it must

In yonder tree they’ll string him up

Hang him high for all to see

John betrayed his own country

Would not fight for king and crown

Would not fight for vale nor town

Would not fight for his country

John betrayed his loyalty

Johnny, Johnny sent to war

Said he would not fight no more

Johnny, it's a crying shame

They’ll leave you out in the wind and rain

So roll them out one more time

Blow the cannons just past nine

If you see the King’s brigade

Salute the men on parade

Johnny, Johnny sent to war

Said he would not fight no more

Johnny, it's a crying shame

They’ll leave you out in the wind and rain

Don’t Make Me Wait for Love

I have waited for money, I have waited for wealth

Hoped for a little time to myself

I’ve prayed for good times, lived through the bad

Searched for the sun when the world seemed so sad

I’ve counted many days and many long nights

Lingered here nearly all of my life

But one thing I ask, as I wait patiently

Don’t make me wait for love

I’ve never seen the sights, the rubble, nor the sand

Never traveled to those far, distant lands

I’ve waited for my life to start, so it seems

Waited for years on these old faithful dreams

I’ve counted many days and many long nights

Lingered here nearly all of my life

But one thing I ask, as I wait patiently

Don’t make me wait for love

The Old Farmstead

Time has not been kind to the old farmstead

Most have forgotten how the old timers lived

These trees once were pasture and the walls that mark the land

Were built stone by stone from a working man’s hand

There are apples for pressing, grapes for the wine

All around the hillside, wild roses on the vine

When many years have passed, I will look back and say

How I long to return to the good old days

The well still holds water after all of these years

In the heat of July there will be no drought here

The ash and the elm smile down like old friends

If all else fails, I will return in the end

There are apples for pressing, grapes for the wine

All around the hillside, wild roses on the vine

When many years have passed, I will look back and say

How I long to return to the good old days

The barn took to rot, the foundation laid bare

Just by looking you’d never know that we lived there for years

A man can lay brick, a man can bury gold

But time sinks like lead, we all must grow old

There are apples for pressing, grapes for the wine

All around the hillside, wild roses on the vine

When many years have passed, I will look back and say

How I long to return to the good old days