: Music
One Morning in May
(Hungrytown)
© 2004 Rebecca Hall (Inspired by the traditional ballad of the same name).
This song starts off with the same lyrics and melody as the old folk ballad, but then goes somewhere else. I did not set out to write about the war, but those are the words that jumped into my head along with the melody, and they seemed to fit. Around that time, were watching the Ken Burns Civil War documentary, which has a beautiful and haunting soundtrack, and the feel of the song is greatly inspired by those old ballads. RH
One morning, one morning, one morning in May
I watched through my window as he marched away.
Through fields lately blooming, they sang as they went;
The sons of the poor, 'til their blood all was spent.
Oh my my, who's gonna pay
For every sweetheart taken this way?
Oh my my, who will replace your sons and your brothers, when they've gone away?
Oh darlin', my darlin', don't grieve for me so
I'll come home a hero before the first snow.
They have no hope against us
Our numbers are too strong;
You must stop your cryin,' for nothin' can go wrong.
Oh mother, dear mother, I've seen all the signs
I know I'm a-slippin', and wanderin' in my mind.
Oh take me to that river
And let me wade across;
There's no point in lingering, our battles all are lost.