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Lost Blues & Forgotten Ballads

by William Lee and the Modern Primitives

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1.
Without Hope, Without Fear Blues 03:37
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Some hope for many, and many hope for none And both say those who fight with fear are fighting everyone One wields an earthly power over those who are lowly born While the other argues over the function of that which has no form So is that the arrangement? So is that the arrangement? So is that the arrangement, I see? I come to see small Mary sitting by her phone Eyes tight as two clocks, mouth made right to moan Well, she stands and winks a smile when she sees my ugly face And laughs into cut flowers put in a transparent vase So is that the arrangement? So is that the arrangement? So is that the arrangement, I see? Don't you think? (What to think?) And don't you do? (What to do?) And don't you see? (what to see?) But don't you suspicion dear mothers, you may bring home quite another That feels nothing for its sisters or brothers and nothing will be discovered When they seize the world, a world without hope or fear I go to the workhouse where we manufacture the tone But it's hard to think about it when you're working over Orwell's bones But at least it makes me sad to think I no longer have a home And it makes me kind of angry to think that everyone must be alone So is that the arrangement? So is that the arrangement? So is that the arrangement? I see. Don't you see? (What to see?) And don't you hear? (What to hear?) And don't you need? (What to need?) But don't you suspicion dear fathers, you may have fathered no son or daughter And even you are subject to slaughter to the ones who are born and take on the form The form of a world, a world without hope or fear
2.
Can't Fight the Devil 04:06
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No you can't fight the devil, 'cause the devil too strong No you can't fight the devil, 'cause the devil too strong Good Lord you know that's where I was wrong 'Cause the devil is a weakness that no one sees Oh that devil is a weakness no man or woman sees Until they're brought low by their own knee When I first met the devil the sun refused to shine When I first met the devil the sun refused to shine Well the next time I met the devil she was a friend of mine Now men if you beat your women you beat your own self in Now men if you beat your women you're beatn' your own self in And women if you beat on your men you suffer from the same sin Now if you meet the devil tell you what to do Now if you meet the devil tell you what to do Better start looking for that angel and stop looking for that devil in you Now can't fight the devil 'cause if you do No you can't fight the devil 'cause if you do That weak now little devil sure gonna come to fight for you I've heard it said many times blues is a worried hearted disease Well I've heard it many times blues is a worried hearted disease But when you get that devil life just turns out mean
3.
Lord Help Us 04:48
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As I went down to the valley to pray Studying about that good old way And who shall wear the robe and crown Good Lord show me the way Come on sinners let's go down Come on down, don't you want to come down Come on sinners and let's go down Down in the valley to pray You go with those who go easily with you You never give a good heart its due You've never spent the night in the light of what it's like to be true You seek wisdom yet keep company with fools You commit the crimes of which you accuse You claim the victim yet your heart's the victim of your own abuse Lord help us 'cause we don't know what we do Lord help us 'cause we don't know what we do I chain myself and claim that I'm free I don't know how around others to be I challenge others for their wants while I deny my own needs I set the lock but have forgotten the key I ask a blind man what it's like to see I conceal the truth from myself that no one could be as blind as me Lord help us 'cause we don't know what we do Lord help us 'cause we don't know what we do Well I tried to be a good man, but there are no good men around Hey hey well I tried to be a good man, but there are no good men around Guess I'll try to be a good man in my way any how They call the game and they hold all the cards They're never near but always far They make us till the earth and tell us to strive for the stars They build the prisons yet live outside the bars They take it easy and give it out hard They may not be to blame but we believe they are Lord help us 'cause we don't know what we do Lord help us 'cause we don't know what we do Well I tried to find my heroes, but my heroes could not be found Hey hey well I tried to find my heroes, my heroes could not be found The only heroes are lying six feets beneath the ground We stay hungry as long as we're fed We toss and turn in an unmade bed We wake to find the world does not match the words that we've said We push hope while we're filled with dread We have left feet and we have no head We believe our path is right but we know we are easily misled Lord help us 'cause we don't know what we do Lord help us 'cause we don't know what we do Lord help us 'cause we don't know what we do
4.
Paulper One-Eyed Jack 04:12
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Roamed and a rambled came upon a day Found the days have made a man of me Keep on roaming, that's how I grew to be Now come on honey don't you want to run with me? Run with me, run with me, run with me, run with me Tell you how Father Time made a man of me All you ladies and you gentlemen may disagree All your calcified children might make three But come on honey I know you want to run with me Run with me, run with me, run with me, run with me Don't know your youngster and he don't know me Now honey now, don't want to, honey now, run with me Your youngster can't see your forest for his tree Now honey now, don't you want to, honey now, run with me Run with me, run with me, run with me, run with me Work in the daytime, at night I'm free Don't owe nobody, nobody owes me Stick by my side find yourself free Now come on honey I know you want to run with me Run with me, run with me, run with me, run with me Roamed and a rambled came upon a day Found the days have made a man of me Keep on roaming, that's how I grew to be Now come on honey don't you want to run with me? Run with me, run with me, run with me, run with me Got me by the head, got me by the nose Got me by the fingers got me by the soul All you got to do is just wiggle your toes Run with me, run with me, run with me, run with me Come and stick by my side now darling Come see what it is you can see You know if you come by my side now darling You know you want to run with me Run with me, run with me, run with me, run with me
5.
Song of the Gypsy Davey 03:16
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Come with me, come with me to the wide and open sea We will leave our clothes heaped upon the shore We'll be free we'll be free I'll find you and you'll find me And the things we did not need we'll need no more Seek and find, seek and find the world rewards a seeking mind Open paths will lead you to open doors You'll be safe from all thoughts grave they'll be many miles away As your graceful head will sleep on foreign shores And we will be our own country as we wander joyously Our happy hearts will be our happy home To the lees we'll drink this tea of life and liberty And our love will buoy us where we may roam In my time I will find my own peace of mind When it comes it will come as a relief Just as all the time that's gone after many months alone When you're finally cured of your disease Come with me, come with me and we'll see its majesty Upon its carpet we will lie content and prone Come with me, come with me upon new born feet Far from our old lives we will have flown Come with me, come with me to the wide and open sea We will leave our clothes heaped upon the shore We'll be free we'll be free I'll find you and you'll find me And the things we did not need we'll need no more And the things we did not need we'll need no more And the things we did not need we'll need no more
6.
Portrait of a Lady 03:49
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She has a wicked smile she pulls from a scowl revealing straightened teeth Through dark glass she stares and cuts through the air like a knife caught in relief And she may hate the robber, but she'll love the thief You may say you cannot love her but I have belief Because when she opens her eyes she shows you the sky it's dark and it is deep What she tries to hide though you see them shine is that they are known to weep And everything you give away is everything that you should keep And this is what you will discover when you see her, when you see her See her, see her, see her When we meet in this place I can feel your distaste though it could just be my nerves In reality you don't even see me, the thought probably never occurred, we exchange polite words Though I did observe, though no sound was heard, an exhaled surge, like the beating wings of a birds, That sounds as the strings of a zither, though it may take a little courage If you would only see her See all around you, see the leper at your feet See you can't lose if you have nothing to defeat Except what you need, accept what you need You say you can't be at home after all that's been done, with anyone that resembles me But if nothing's been said how can it all be decided? Is this how we'll let it be? You could see me as clear as when I look into my mirror But you won't see me my dear until you see her, until you see her See her, see her, see her
7.
Last Chance Blues 03:58
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Why don't you give it chance? Why don't you give it a chance? Life could be such a random dance if you'd just give it a chance Let go of that world on a string, you could see it dance and sing And all of its halls would ring if you'd just give it A chance to come and a chance for it to go A chance to get up from your bathroom floor A chance forget a chance to know A chance to open up your hands and feel it Why don't you give it a chance? Why don't you give it a chance? Give it more than a passing glance, what don't you give it A chance to notice, a chance to ignore A chance to open up your own doors Or for a door to be closed A chance to open up your eyes and see it I don't know why you keep your self in the dark You make yourself out to be such an easy mark To swim with the fish you must swim with the sharks Just as in the song every instrument must play its part Why don't you open up your ears and hear it? Why don't you give it a...? Why don't you give it a...? Why don't you give it a...? Why don't you give it a...? Sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down Sometimes you're up down turned around don't know where you're goin' Don't you think that maybe I've been there too? But you know I love living my life anyway First you say yes, then it's no Then it's yes no maybe then I've got to guess, well Don't you think in the end I may not care? But you know I love living my life anyway Oh it's good to love living your life anyway And you should love loving your life anyway Why don't you give it a chance? Why don't you give it a chance? Give it more than a passing glance, why don't you give it a chance?
8.
Evangeline 04:48
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Woke up this morning with time on my mind She's a women, she is a friend of mine She places the calls and I spend the dimes Spent my time on that line But oh that mistress time she sure has pretty eyes Can't find the reason, can't find the time for a girl called Evangeline Met her in a dream she had pink cigarettes She said here's one for all of your regrets Held out my hand, she held out her thumb Ain't it funny how those dreams come undone For little Evangeline though she sure's got a pretty mind Can't find the reason, can't find the time oh darling Evangeline Woke up this morning with time on my mind She's a woman, she was a friend of mine Time's got holes the sizes of dimes for a girl called Evangeline For that Girl called Evangeline Evangeline, Evangeline, Evangeline
9.
Ballad of Lost John 09:22
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This is the ballad of lost John Now some say lost John come from England Others say it was Washington D.C. Some say down in the Mediterranean People secretly suspicion it was Marin County Well this is the ballad of lost John Some say he lost his head over a woman Others say it was the catcher in the rye Or maybe it was the prophet Mohammad Or just that place we call America, America, America Well this is the ballad of lost John Saw lost John trying to jump that little black train Started singing poor boy to that engineer, down in the Valley This is how he sang it to him Mister engineer let a poor boy ride this line Well mister engineer let a poor boy ride your line Well I'd like to let you buddy but you know this train ain't mine Sang him up another chorus Said, would you let me ride for every single dime? Would you let me ride for these few little thin now dimes? Well I'd like to let you son but you know it's just not your time So lost John came up to me, we went up through the trees That moon was high, we went past the rivers and past the streams He had some food hid up there, some lobscouse and honey We heard that train whistle blow, here how it blow We were sitting on a rock there me and lost John The wind began to blow Started to sing my song, here how it go I was born in the country but now I live in town, I live in town I was born in the country but now I live in town That's no reason now to put a poor boy down I carried your heart now from Knoxville to Memphis Tennessee, to Tennessee Well I carried that heart now from Memphis all the way to Los Angeles Just so I could be made a poor fool out of me Where goes my lovely? Where goes my love? Where goes my lovely? Where goes my love? I thought I was holding her hand, I was only holding her glove It's hard, ain't it hard Well it's hard, ain't it hard You go to your good gal's house she's got her good man to bar you Where goes my lovely? Where goes my love? Where goes my lovely? Where goes my love? She looked on me with those eyes of a hawk, you Know I had those eyes of a dove This was the ballad of lost John Oh so lost and far far gone Howling in that wilderness since time begun Oh yes so this is that ballad of lost John Oh won't you send up a little prayer for lost gone John Oh he been howl'n out in the wilderness for all you lost children
10.
Poor Future Blues 06:22
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It's on me, it's poor me, nobody have pity on poor me You've got to have now pity, pity on poor me She may stay, she may go, she'll back don't you know By and by, lording won't you by and by It's on me, it's poor me, nobody have pity on poor me You've got to have now pity, pity on poor me You may go, you may stay, you'll be back some sweet day By and by, Lordy, by and by Don't the moon look pretty just shining through the trees I can see William Lee, oh but he can't see me You may stay, you may go, you'll be back through that door By and by, lordy won't you, by and by I can't see my future I can't tell my past Well I can't tell my future I can't tell my past Lord it seems like every minute sure gonna be my last Well minutes seem like hours hours they just seem like days Well minutes seem like hours hours they just seem like days I sure wish these people would quit their low down ways Well I got a woman she stands five foot four from the ground Well I got a woman she stands five foot four from the ground Well she's tailor made and she ain't no hand-me-down Well I got a woman now she's lightning when she smiles, lightning when she smiles Well I got a woman now she's lightning when she smiles Five foot and four inches and she's just good hugging size It's on me, it's on me, nobody have pity on poor me You've got to have now pity, pity on poor me You may go, you may stay, you'll be back some sweet day By and by Lordy, Lordy by and by By and by Lordy, Lordy won't you by and by? It's on me it's poor, won't you have pity on poor me? It's on me it's poor, won't you have pity on poor me? It's on me, it's on me, nobody have pity on poor me I ain't got nobody have pity on poor me Don't the moon look pretty shining through the trees I can see brother Lee but he can't see me She may go she may stay, she'll be back some sweet day By and by, mamma, won't you by and by? By and by, mamma, won't you by and by?
11.
Blues for Day 07:16
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"It's hard not to give a shit man." Blind man spits at the sun, 'Cause he can't stand the heat of it Sightless shadows cannot run Some times it seems a cabaret, though, running the night long Where the bare and naked tender ladies play those lonesome now blues for day I left him on that hot now, on that Arkansas now, on that Arkansas road I got the oil I needed, oh yes the oil I needed for that broken down ford Drove on to California, my trouble there was more Well trouble came a knocking, knocking on my awful front door Trouble came a knocking, yes a, on my old front door I hear the animals cry outside my window The coyotes howl and the owls do crow All the animals were talking with a voice only they did know All the animals were speaking with a cold voice oh so unknown All the animals were talking with a cold voice only they did know You know by that good lord, I've been alone I've got the blues lord, those blues for day And that devil moon sure won't let 'em pass away And all that I've seen beneath the sun, it's all too much to say I've got the blues Lord, those blues for day Oh that cold blue moon won't let 'em now, won't let 'em now pass away Oh that blue moon sure won't let it go on, pass on there weary way Oh Lordy won't you let that blue moon go on and pass along its weary way Oh but I know you won't let that moon go on and go on and pass away No it's not easy, howling free at the moon Knowing full well, the sun will beat you down soon No it's not easy, howling free at the moon Knowing full well, the sun will beat you down soon Well it's the taste of menís' feet that cut this corn what makes this whiskey true Knowing full well the sun will come out and beat them down too It's not easy howling free at the moon It's not easy howling free at the moon It's not easy howling free at the moon It's not easy howling free at the moon
12.
Mary Ann 07:00
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Saw a mother with her child the other day Waltzing through the sand On the beach where I had been lying What they could not see was that I could not stand Oh Mary, Mary Ann Oh Mary, Mary Ann Mary Ann The mother looked at me so severely So I sent them both a vacant empty glance Luckily with her mother the child did not agree She sent me that smile that can't be chanced Yes that smile that cannot be chanced Yes that smile from Mary Ann Mary, from Mary Ann From Mary Ann You know the world just takes its time from me My friends they all have better plans All the time I found I ever really needed Found in that smile from Mary Ann Yes in that smile from Mary Ann In that smile from Mary Ann Mary, From Mary Ann From Mary Ann The sun's heat is carried off by a gentle breeze I can see her mother's skirt wave like a flag She's standing in the languid and lapping sea Calling "Mommy" and her mother she calls back Yes her mother she calls back She calls "Come on Mary Ann" "Mary, Oh come on Mary, oh Mary Ann" "Come on Mary, oh Mary Ann" So now I've found the strength to get up and stand And face once more that western sun It's not so harsh with that southern breeze a blow'n And as long as it smiles on me Smile on me and Mary Ann Smile on me and smile on Mary Oh smile on Mary Oh Mary Ann Oh smile on Mary, Oh Mary Ann There is no such thing as nothing I do believe There is no such thing as nothing I do believe Well there is no such thing as nothing I do believe There is no such thing as nothing I do believe I do believe
13.
Children of Tomorrow 02:59
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Born out of nothing Unknowing of joy or sorrow How they have always come Children of tomorrow Coming to make their claims Which hold all joys and sorrows See their sons and daughters there Children of tomorrow Looking for a chance to take While finding only one to borrow Driving memory and fate deep beneath the waves For those children of tomorrow Now childs of the earth may bring nightmares But others may come with their dreams that aren't so hollow But haven't we all been fed on those dreams Of those children of tomorrow Now I was not born yesterday And I may not be born tomorrow But haven't we all been born from Those children of tomorrow

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released September 9, 2009

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William Lee and the Modern Primitives Nashville, Tennessee

William Lee is the nom de guerre of William B. Sealy.

The question of humanity—it's loss through privation of the spirit, it's corruption by seemingly unsurmountable forces, and it's redemption and salvation by acts and actors of disproportionate courage—is a pervasive theme throughout Lee's work. ... more

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