A Song of Home – Wintergreen Trio

Peace Call
Better Step Quick
Pastures of Plenty
Mill Town Waltz (Listen)
Waltzing With The Bears
Wade In The Water (Listen)
Constitution Oak
Tenting Tonight
Wagoner’s Lad
Swingin’ On A Star
Two Brothers
The Good In Living/Pays De Haut
Together (Listen)

PEACE CALL
Words and music by Woody Guthrie

Open your hearts to the paradise, to the peace of the heavenly angels;
Drives away those woeful shadow dancin’ on your wall.
Take to the skies of peace, oh friends, peace of the one great spirit;
Get ready for my bugle call of peace.

Chorus: Peace, peace, peace, I can hear the bugle sounding
Roamin’ ’round my land, my city and my town.
Peace, peace, peace, I can hear the voices ringin
Louder while my bugle calls for peace.

Thick war clouds will throw their shadows, darkening the world around you
But in my life of peace, your dark illusions fall
Think and pray along the way embrace the ones around you
Get ready for my bugle call of peace

Chorus

If these war storms fill your heart with a thousand kinds of worry,
Keep to my road of peace, you’ll never have to fear.
Keep in the sun and look around
In the face of peace and plenty,
get ready for my bugle call of peace.

Chorus

I’ll clear my house of the weeds of fear  and turn to the friends around me,
With my smile of peace, I’ll greet you one and all;
I’ll work, I’ll fight, I’ll sing and dance,
Of peace of the youthful spirit,  get ready for my bugle call of peace.

Chorus

BETTER STEP QUICK

Once upon a time you could stroll all in the summer grass
And sit down underneath the big branches of a tree.
But riding on the backs of mice, creatures came bringing danger,
And waited to attack all the legs that they could see.

Chorus: Better step quick, here come the ticks; cover your legs or you’ll get bit.
Better step quick, here come the ticks; cover your legs or you’ll get bit.

“This cannot be!” the people cried, and called upon the scientists
To rid the land forever of this dreadful enemy.
After poisons, traps and hormone sprays, a voice cried out: “I have it!
The fire ant is the weapon that will make the green grass free.”

Chorus: Better step quick, here come the ticks; cover your legs or you’ll get bit…

The fire ants came and ate up all the little tiny ticks, and them
The land was safe again from the terrible disease.
The people put on shorts and skirts, and mowed their laws in bathing suits;
But the fire ants loved to sting all the feet and toes and knees.

Chorus: Better step quick, here come the ants; cover your leg or they’ll get in your pants…

“What can we do, these ants are bad, we have to walk on concrete,
And we cannot even mow our lawn or play a game of ball.”
The selectmen met with doctors, and the doctors met with lawyers;
The professionals all agreed: “the anteaters will save us all.”

Chorus: Better step quick, here come the ants; cover your legs or they’ll get in your pants…

The anteaters came in dozens and they ate up all the fire ants
And left a mess so thick that you could not walk around.
“Let’s bring the mountain lion back, they’ll kill and eat the enemy,
And we don’t need very many.” So mountain lions were found.

Chorus: Better step quick, or you’re gonna slip; it’s gooey and it’s gummy, it’ll make you sick.

After a while the grass grew clean from mice and ants and anteaters
And the children played and frolicked while their parents mowed the lawn.
But one day while walking in the woods, a child was attacked by a lion;
So the hunters came and killed the cats until they were all gone.

The mice had all been eaten by the mighty mountain lions,
But now the lawns grew safe for the rodents to return.
So far away the word was spread among the mouse leaders,
And they crept back to the lawns and fields with ticks all in their fur.
Chorus: Better step quick, here come the ticks; cover your legs or you’ll get bit…

PASTURES OF PLENTY
Words and Music by Woody Guthrie

It’s a mighty hard row that my poor hands have hoed
My poor feet have traveled that hot dusty road.
Out of your Dust Bowl and westward we rolled,
Your deserts were hot and your mountains were cold.

I worked in your orchards of peaches and prunes,
Slept on the ground in the light of the moon.
On the edge of yourcity you’ll see us and then,
We come with the dust and we go with the wind.

California, Arizona, I harvest your crops
Then North up to Oregon to gather your hops.
Dig the beets from your ground, cut the grapes from your vine
To set on your table your light sparkling wine.

Green pastures of plenty from dry desert ground,
From the Grand Coulee Dam where the waters run down.
Every state in the Union us migrants have been
We’ll work in this fight and we’ll fight till we win

It’s always we ramble, that river and I
All along your green valley, I’ll work till I die
My land I’ll defend with my life if need be
Cause my pastures of plenty must always be free

WALTZING WITH BEARS
Words and music by Dale Marxen

Well my uncle Walter goes waltzing with bears;
It’s a most unbearable state of affairs.
Every Saturday night he creeps down the back stairs;
Slips out of the house and goes waltzing with bears.

Chorus: He goes wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa- waltzing with bears,
Raggy bears, baggy bears, shaggy bears too.
And there’s nothin’ on earth uncle Walter won’t do
So he can go waltzing – wa- wa- wa- waltzing,
So he can go waltzing, go waltzing with bears.

I went to his room in the middle of the night,
I tiptoed inside and I turned on the light;
But to my dismay he was nowhere in sight,
‘Cause my uncle Walter goes waltzing at night.

Chorus:

Well I bought uncle Walter a new coat to wear,
But whwen he comes in it’s all covered with hair.
And lately I’ve noticed a couple new tears;
‘Cause my uncle Walter goes walting with bears.

Chorus:

Well we said “Uncle Walter why won’t you be good”
And do all the things that we say that you should?
We know that you’d rather be out in the wood,
But we’re afraid that we’ll lose you, we’ll lose you for good.

So we begged and we pleaded: “Oh please won’t you stay”
And we managed to keeo him at home for one day;
But the bears all barged in and they took him away.
Now he’s dancing with pandas, we don’t understand it;
The bears all demand at least one dance a day.

Chorus:

Well my Aunt Matilda is mad as can be,
’cause she says that “Walter won’t go waltzing with me.”
So she took her fur coat and remodeled it so that
She could go walting and Walter won’t know.

Chorus:

THE CONSTITUTION OAK
Words and music by Alice Spatz

Word went out from Boston Town, and spread throughout the state
That the constitution was signed at last; it was seventeen eighty eight.
In the little town of Lanesborough, the highest hill was found.
The top was clear save one great tree; you could see it for miles around.

To celebrate the new nation, a bonfire blazed that night,
While the oak stood huge against the sky, bathed in the fire’s light.
The winter night was dark and cold, but the flames rose hot and high,
Like the hope and cheer in the hearts and minds of the people standing by.

Through the years the country grew, troubled by strife and war;
The Constitution Oak still stood, but the people looked no more.
For the hilltop was all overgrown, and hope and trust were low
In the hearts and minds of all of those who lived in the valley below.

A sentinel for trust and hope, the tree watched over the town,
Then in 1920 vandals set a fire that burned it down.

The Constitution Oak burned long in the night for all to see;
It once stood by as people cheered for the land of liberty.
More than three hundred years that tree had spread its branches toward the sky;
Few cared in the valley below as the flames rose hot and high.

Yet now if you climb that highest hill, look among the pines;
You will find another ancient oak that was hidden all this time.

With trunk so wide and branches strong, it’s there for all to find;
It lives today as long ago when the constitution was signed.
Above the town it’s standing there for everyone to see;
This ancient oak still holds the hope for a land of liberty.
This ancient oak still holds the hope for a land of liberty.

TENTING TONIGHT ON THE OLD CAMP GROUND
Words and music by Walter C. Kittredge (1863)

We’re tenting tonight on the old camp ground, Give us a song to cheer
Our weary hearts, a song of home,
And friends we love so dear.

Chorus:
Many are the hearts that are weary tonight,
Wishing for the war to cease;
Many are the hearts that are looking for the right
To see the dawn of peace.
Tenting tonight, tenting tonight, tenting on the old camp ground.
We’ve been tenting tonight on the old campground,
Thinking of days gone by,
Of the loved ones at home that gave us the hand
And the tear that said “Goodbye!”

Chorus

We are tired of war on the old camp ground,
Many are dead and gone,
Of the brave and true who’ve left their homes,
Others been wounded long.

Chorus

We’ve been fighting today on the old camp ground,
Many are lying near;
Some are dead and some are dying,
Many are in tears.

Chorus:
Many are the hearts that are weary tonight,
Wishing for the war to cease;
Many are the hearts that are looking for the right
To see the dawn of peace.
Dying tonight, dying tonight, dying on the old camp ground.

The tune was first published in 1864. However, Walter Kittredge (1834-1905) wrote the words and music earlier as it was popular during much of the Civil War. The sheet music by Ditson (1864) notes that the sheet music was arranged and adapted by the Hutchinson Family. Kittredge spent part of his singing career as a member of the Hutchinson Family, so it is likely the tune was picked up through their singing and became popular before the sheet music was issued. Jerry Silverman writes that Kittredge wrote the tune in 1863 in response to receiving his draft notice.

The tune was originally published as Tenting on the Old Camp Ground although it became popularly known as Tenting Tonight. It was popular with both civilians and soldiers on both sides during the American Civil War.

THE WAGONER’S LAD
Traditional

Oh hard is the fortune of all womankind,
They’re always controlled, they’re always confined;
Confined by their parents until they are wives,
Then slaves to their husbands for the rest of their lives.

“Oh I am a poor girl, my fortune is sad,
I’ve always been courted by the Wagoner’s Lad;
He’s courted me daily, by night and by day,
And now he is loaded and going away.”

“Your parents don’t like me because I am poor,
They say I’m not worthy of entering your door;
I work for my living, my money’s my own,
And if they don’t like me, they can leave me alone.”

“Your wagon needs greasing, your whip is to mend;
Come sit down beside me as long as you can.”
“My wagon is greasy, my whip’s in my hand;
So fare thee well darlin’, no longer to stand.”

“Your horses are hungry, come feed them some hay,
Come sit down beside me as long as you stay.”
“My horses ain’t hungry, they won’t eat your hay;
So fare thee well darling I’ll be on my way”

SWINGIN’ ON A STAR
Music by Jimmy Van Heusen, lyrics by Johnny Burke

Chorus:
Would you like to swing on a star?
Carry moonbeams home in a jar?
And be better off than you are?
Or would you rather be a mule?

A mule is an animal with long, funny ears
He kicks up at everything he hears
His back is brawny and his brain is weak
He’s just plain stupid with a stubborn streak
But if you don’t ever want to go to school
You may grow up to be a mule

Chorus

A pig is an animal with dirt on his face
His shoes are a terrible disgrace
He’s got no manners when he eats his food
He’s fat and lazy and extremely rude
But if you don’t care a feather or a fig
You may grow up to be a pig

Chorus

A fish won’t do anything but swim in a brook
He can’t write his name or read a book
To fool the people is his only thought
And though he’s slippery, he still gets caught
But then if that sort of life is what you wish
You may grow up to be a fish

Chorus: Now all the monkeys aren’t in the zoo
Every day you meet quite a few
So you see, it’s all up to you
You could be better than you are
You could be swingin’ on a star

TWO BROTHERS
Words and music by Irving Gordon

Two brothers on their way, two brothers on their way.
Two brothers on their way, one wore blue and one wore gray.

One wore blue and one wore gray, as they marched along their way;
The fife and drum began to play, all on a beautiful morning.

One was gentle, one was kind, one was gentle, one was kind;
One came home, one stayed behind; a cannonball don’t pay no mind.

A cannonball don’t pay no mind, if you’re gentle or if you’re kind;
It don’t think of the folks behind all on a beautiful morning.

Two girls standing by the railroad track, two girls standing by the railroad track,
Two girls standing by the railroad track; one wore blue and one wore black.

One wore blue and one wore black, standing by the railroad track,
Waiting for their lovers to come back all on a beautiful morning.
The Good in Living
Words and music by Steve Sellors

If the fiddle bow felt no bow stroke
If the concertina bellows broke
If no one sang or cracked a joke
Then where’s the good in living?

Chorus
For all of life plays like a tune
It sounds so sweet and ends too soon
You’d better rosin up your bow
Before it’s time to go

If no one threw their feet about
If the Guinness boys stopped making stout
You’d forget what life was all about
And soon become quite thirsty

Chorus

When all you’ve owned is hocked or pawned
And all your money’s spent and gone
You’ll find out what you’ve been living on
And never even knew it

TOGETHER
Words and music by Alice Spatz

You see that young man over there with a bottle in his hand
He used to be a neighbor of mine, till he was sent to Afghanistan
As a fireman he saved some lives, now he has no home of his own
I never heard his terrible story, or why he’s so alone

Chorus:
Together, all together
We’re all bonded together in our loneliness

You see that woman over there? Her kids used to play with mine. Whenever you needed a favor, you could count on her all the time. Now she’s got all her belongings inside that shopping cart. People say her husband left her and she went crazy from a broken hear

Chorus: Together, all together, We’re all bonded together in our brokenness.
You see that old man sitting there, mumbling to himself and the ground He lifts his head sometimes, but doesn’t seem to see what’s around. I sit down by his side, hoping he’ll look up and see; Trying not to cry, I say “Daddy, I’m here, it’s me.”

Chorus: Together, all together We’re all bonded together in our hopefulness.