William Smith Monroe
That young boy from Kentucky, learned tunes from old black men,
Sang songs with Birch and Charlie, played guitar with Uncle Pen,
Tore up the Grand Ole Opry, and he shook up Music Row,
The cross-eyed boy from Rosine, William Smith Monroe.
On their very first audition, before the old Judge Hay, Bill's Band showed those Opry Folks, how they could really play,
The stern old Judge told Bill, if he ever wished to go, He'd have to fire himself from the Grand Ole Opry Show.
Now I hear his voice a-callin', from somewhere in the pines……
And that high lonesome Tenor, sends a shiver down my spine,
As I walk the piney woods, where peace comes dropping slow,
All alone with the ancient tones of William Smith Monroe.
For fifty years and more, Bill rode that Bluegrass line, With Flatt ‘n’ Scruggs and Baker, Mac Wiseman, Curly Cline,
Countless men of music, who passed through his hands, Still carry on the sound, of Bill's Bluegrass Band.
Now if you should go walkin’, ‘cross the creek by the bridge,
And ramble through the woods, up on Jerusalem Ridge,
Listen to the Birds and the lonesome wind that blows,
Carrying the ancient tones of William Smith Monore.
[c] Niall Toner Bardis Music Ltd. /IMRO/ASCAP
Bill Monroes Mandolin
Hey I just bought a mandolin at an auction on the Row,
It cost me quite a bundle, but it was sure worth all my dough,
I guess you'd call it second-hand, it belonged to Bill Monroe,
Hey I just bought a mandolin, and I thought you'd like to know.
He paid two hundred bucks for it, in nineteen forty-three, but a million and a quarter, is what it just cost me,
I could have bought a Stratovarius, the violin and the bow, but I preferred the mandolin, that belonged to Bill Monroe.
Her body's worn and battered, but her heart is warm and strong,
Her voice is loud and lonesome, on every bluegrass song,
On Rawhide and Uncle Pen she's the star of every show,
That old Gibson Mandolin that belonged to Biall Monroe.
She plays waltzes and quicksteps, hollers, reels and rags, breakdowns and hoedowns, outrows, intros, tags,
She'll even sing the tenor part when the Chariot Swings Low, that old Gibson Mandolin that belonged to Bill Monroe.
Now Bill's gone to his reward, on God's golden shore,
He didn't need that old F-5, beside him anymore,
Though she travelled half-way 'round the world, from a Florida Barber's store,
That old Gibson Mandolin that belonged to Bill Monroe.
Ocean Of Teardrops
I cried an ocean of teardrops, on the day that you told me goodbye,
When you said we were through, my heart broke in two,
The tears from my eyes fell like rain from the skys, I cried an Ocean of tears.
We'd been so long together, I thought we'd never part,
You gave me your soul, I gave you my heart,
You swore that you'd love me, all through the years,
But now that you're gone, I cry an Ocean of tears.
Together we went sailin' on an endless sea of love,
'Till storm clouds rained heartache, from skies up above,
Then you set me adrift, to face my worst fears,
And left me to drown in my Ocean of tears.
[c] Niall Toner/Clem O'Brien/Dick Gladney Bardis Music Ltd. /IMRO/ASCAP
The Masters Resting Place
He was the youngest of three brothers, worked the factories and the mills,
Five hundred miles from Rosine, in those blue Kentucky hills,
And as they laboured side by side, Bill worked upon a plan,
For a style of country music, based on all the old string bands.
He took love songs from Scotland, and blues from old black men, tragic murder ballads, fiddle tunes from Uncle Pen,
Bill wove them all together, in to a brand new sound, named for his home State, where the bluegrass grows all 'round.
He sleeps on the hillside, in peace there I know,
'Neath the bluegrass of Kentucky, where he came from long ago,
The circle's unbroken, as the last notes start to fade,
But they'll linger there forever, 'round the master's resting place.
He travelled 'cross the ocean, to places far and wide, the cross-eyed child from Rosine, became a legend in his life,
The rich man and the poor man, came to hear him sing, songs about the old home place, in the blue Kentucky hills.
If you're ever in Kentucky, there's a place you should go,
On a hillside outside Rosine, where the sweet flowers grow,
Where the circle's unbroken, Bill's bluegrass never fades,
On the soft breeze that blows, 'round the master's resting place.
[c] Niall Toner/Clem O'Brien/Dick Gladney Bardis Music Ltd. /IMRP/ASCAP
The Cheatin' Side Of Town
There's a place called the cheatin' side of town, and you go there, when night-time comes around,
You leave me here alone and feelin' down, and you go dancin' on the cheatin' side of town.
The cheatin' side of town won't always want you, your happy smile will soon become a frown,
But I'll still be here waitin' when you come back, when you come back from the cheatin' side of town.
Last night I saw you across town, you glanced my way then turned your head around,
As I walked back home my tears came rollin' down, but there's no teardrops on the cheatin' side of town.
I know there's bright lights and fancy men, and they draw you back again and again,
But I'll still be here waitin, when you come back, when you come back from the cheatin' side of town.
[c] Clem O'Brien Bardis Music Ltd. / IMRO/ASCAP
Mood Swing
She woke me up this morning, black coffee and a kiss,
And a smile that could drive a man insane,
I'm not even out of bed, somebody tell me what I said?
She's stormin' through the house like a hurricane.
Mood swing, my baby's on a mood swing again,
Mood swing, I tell you boys it's something, that a man can't understand,
It's funny how her state of mind, changes with the wind,
My baby's on a mood swing again.
She comes to me and whispers, hey let's cuddle on the couch,
Said I'll be there before you can count to three,
By the time I had arrived, she was fit to be tied,
She said you can spend the night here without me.
[c] Niall Toner/Keith Sewell/Wendy Buckner Bardis Music/Coburn Music/EMI Music/IMRO/ASCAP
Railroad Dreams
When I was young, barely in my 'teens, each night I heard that lonesome whistle scream,
That old steam train seemed to whisper my name, to go riding on the ten-fifteen.
The first time I saw her, I thought she was a Queen, she was the sweetest lady, I had ever seen,
Right from the start, she stole away my heart, took me ridin' on the ten-fifteen, dreamin' my railroad dreams.
Oh the rattle of the steel rail, and the blowin' of the steam,
Takes me back to my youth, barely in my 'teens,
When a boy could lose himself, in his railroad dreams,
And go ridin' on the ten-fifteen, dreamin' my railroad dreams.
Well today I shed a tear by that rustin' machine, dreamed of all the places she and I might have seen,
I'd give my heart and soul, to be loadin' the coal, and ridin' on the ten-fifteen, dreamin' my railroad dreams.
Life is like a steam train, runnin' down a dream, burnin' up the years since those days of coal and steam,
If I could turn back the time, I'd make that railroad mine, and go ridin' on the ten-fifteen,
Dreamin' my railroad dreams.
[c] Niall Toner/Dick Gladney Bardis Music Ltd. /IMRO/ASCAP
Anothers Name
I'm standin' at the station, to catch an outbound train,
The one I love has turned me down, I'm never comin' back again,
I'm bound for places I've never been, to hang my head in shame,
My broken heart will never mend, you took another's name
You took another's name, you took another's name,
My broken heart will never mend, you took another's name.
You had no cause to doubt me, the words you spoke were cold,
'Cause you believed the lies you heard, and the stories that were told.
I'll go and find another, who'll help me ease the pain,
I just can't stay around here now, you took another's name.
[c] Niall Toner/Clem O'Brien Bardis Music Ltd. /IMRO/ASCAP
Walk On Water
It was dark out on the ocean, the wind and waves were blowin'
The terrified Disciples, thought surely they would die,
In the Fourth Watch of the morning, they saw Jesus walking towards them,
Speaking words of comfort, "Take Courage, It Is I".
Have a little faith, have a little faith, walk on water, keep your eyes on Jesus, and you won't be afraid,
Have a little faith, have a little faith, you won't falter, have a little faith, have a little faith, walk on water.
Master, if it's really you, let me walk out on the water,
Jesus said to Peter, step out and come to me,
But Peter started sinking, for he feared that he might drown,
But the Saviour took him by the hand, and saved him from the sea.
Now sometimes you and I, we get caught up in the storms, tossed by circumstances,
that make it hard for us to see,
We must put our faith in Jesus, and reach out for his hand, for he will come to save us,
if only we believe.
[c] Niall toner / Terri Lynn Weaver Bardis / Scarlett Roper/IMRO /ASCAP / BMI
All Over Again
I started out with the Jack Of Diamonds, and I fell for the Queen of Hearts,
Ran away with the Ace of Spades, that's where my trouble starts.
Scraped the bottom of the barrell, 'till my fingers began to bleed,
Busked and begged and borrowed, just to fill my basic needs,
Just to fill my basic needs.
Spent half my life in sorrow, half my life in pain,
Half my life wasted away, want to start over again,
I'd love to start over again.
On an Eastbound road, I was movin' fast, just before the break of day,
When a Tungsten Crow, with a Diamond Claw, nearly blew my life away.
Now some people say, the past don't count, and the future is all they see,
I just want another chance, to prove what I can be.
[c] Niall Toner Bardis Music Ltd / IMRO
Sleeping Beauty
Once we were lovers, just like a fairytale,
But in the end we went our seperate ways,
The wheel keeps on turning, it's brought us back around,
Now here we sit together, face to face.
Somewhere in your eyes, I see a spark from yesterday,
Somewhere in your eyes a question mark,
Somewhere inside, I know what you're going to say,
Were we meant to be apart ?
Dream away Sleeping Beauty, dream away on your own,
The way between our hearts is overgrown,
Once upon a time I made a path to your door,
But I can't get there from here, anymore.
Please understand, I bear you no ill will,
Today we may even part as friends,
But I have found another, to love with all my heart,
And we'll be together 'till the end.
[c] Niall Toner/Buddy Mondlock Bardis Music Ltd/IMRO/ASCAP
