Judy Collins

[fox69]

"The Bells Of Rhymney"

"The Bells Of Rhymney"


Words by Idris Davies
Music by Pete Seeger
Oh What will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney
Is there hope for the future?
Say the brown bells of Merthyr
Who made the mine owner?
Say the black bells of Rhondda
And who killed the miner?
Say the grim bells of Blaina
Put the vandals in court
Say the bells of Newport
All would be well if, if, if, if
Say the green bells of Cardiff
Why so worried sisters? Why?
Sang the silver bells of Wye
And what will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney
Oh What will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney
Is there hope for the future?
Say the brown bells of Merthyr
Who made the mine owner?
Say the black bells of Rhondda
And who killed the miner?
Say the grim bells of Blaina

They will plunder willy-nilly,
Cry the bells of Caerphilly.
They have fangs, they have teeth,
Say the loud bells of Neath.
Even God is uneasy,
Say the moist bells of Swansea.
And what will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney

Put the vandals in court
Say the bells of Newport.
All would be well if, if, if,
Cry the green bells of Cardiff.
Why so worried, sisters, why?
Sang the silver bells of Wye.
And what will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney.

 

[fox69]

"The Best Is Yet To Come"

"The Best Is Yet To Come"


What did we do wrong?
We had all the magic to guide us on our way
And all the tragedy we could ever want to see
But you know I'm right
When I say the best is yet to come

Where did we go wrong?
Was it all so enlightening we couldn't find our way?
Was it all so frightening we couldn't see which move to make?
But you know I'm right
When I say the best is yet to come

And if you leave me now
As you say you might
Oh, please don't leave me now
'Cause I know, if you do
None of this will come true so

Where do we go now?
Now your heart is aching and leading you astray
And me, I'm shaking up, trying to get you to stay
But you know I'm right
When I say the best is yet to come
And you know the best is still to come

 

[fox69]

"The Blizzard"

"The Blizzard"


Colorado, Colorado
When the world leaves you shivering
And the blizzard blows,
When the snow flies and the night falls
There's a light in the window and a place called home
At the end of the storm.

One night on the mountain I was headed for Estes
When the roads turned to ice and it started to snow,
Put on the chains in a whirl of white powder,
Half way up to Berthoud near a diner I know

And the light burned inside, shining down through the snowfall
God it was cold and the temperature droppin',
Went in for coffee and shivered as I drank it,
Warm in my hands in the steam as it rose.

Sitting there at the counter was a dark headed stranger,
Me and the owner and him keepin warm,
Nodded hello and I said it's a cold one
Looks like there might be a blizzard tonight -

And "yes", said the owner,"
There's a big storm on the mountain,
Good thing we're open, we could be here for hours
There's nothing for miles and it's too late to get to Denver,
Better not try for the summit tonight".

And the snow fell
And the night passed
And I talked to the strangers
While the blizzard blew.

Me and the stranger, you know I don't talk to strangers,
I'm a private sort of person but a blizzard is a blizzard,
And somehow I found myself saying you'd left me,
Tellin' him everything I wanted to say to you.

You know how it is when you can talk to a stranger,
Someone your quite sure you'll never see again -
Soon we were laughin', and talkin', and drinkin'
He said "you must know you're too good for him".

And the snow fell
And the night passed
And I talked to the stranger
While the blizzard blew.

The stranger said "Love it can cry you a river -
Me, I'm a loner cause I can't take the heartache
And sometimes I'm a fighter when I get too much whiskey -
Here have a little whiskey, pretend you don't give a damn -

My cabin's up here on the side of the mountain
You can go up there and sleep through the blizzard".
I put on my parka, said goodbye to the owner
Followed the stranger through the snow up the mountainside.

Woke in the morning to the sun on the snow,
My car was buried in six feet of snow drifts,
They dug me out, just the owner and the stranger,
Sent me on my way when the snowplow had been by

And the roads were all clear and the sun on the mountains
Sparkled like diamonds on the peak to peak highway -
Then I knew that I would get over you, knew you could leave me
But you'd never break me.

Colorado, Colorado
When the world leaves you shivering
And the blizzard blows,
When the snow flies and the night falls
There's a light in the window and a place called home
At the end of the storm.

 

[fox69]

"The Coming Of The Roads"

"The Coming Of The Roads"


Now that our mountain is growing
With people hungry for wealth
How come it's you that's a-going
And I'm left all alone by myself?

We used to hunt the cool caverns
Deep in our forest of green
Then came the road and the tavern
And you found a new love it seems

Once I had you and the wild wood
Now, it's just dusty roads
And I can't help from blamin' your going
On the coming, the coming of the roads

Look how they've cut all to pieces
Our ancient poplar and oak
And the hillsides are stained with the greases
That burned up the heavens with smoke

You used to curse the bold crewmen
Who stripped our earth of its ore
Now, you've changed and you've gone over to them
And you've learned to love what you hated before

Once I thanked God for my treasure
Now like rust it corrodes
And I can't help from blamin' your goin'
On the coming, the coming of the roads

 

[fox69]

"The Desperate Ones"

"The Desperate Ones"


They hold each others hands
They walk without a sound
Down forgotten streets
Their shadows kiss the ground
Their footsteps
sing a song
That's ended before it's begun
They walk without a sound
The desperate ones

Just like the tiptoe moth
That dance before the flame
They burn their hearts so much
That death is just a name
And if love calls again
So foolishly they run, they run, they run
They run, they run, they run, they run
They run without a sound
The desperate ones

I know the road they're on
I've walked their crooked mile
A hundred times or more
I drank their cup of bile
They watch their dreams go down
Be hind the settin sun
Yeh, yeh, yeh, they walk without a sound
The desperate ones

Le he who threw the stone at them
Stand up and take a bow
He knows the verb "to love"
But he'll never, never, never know how
On the bridge of nevermore
They disappear one by one
Disappear without a sound
The desperate ones

And underneath the bridge
The water's sweet and deep
This is their journey's end
The land of endless sleep
They cry to us for help
We think it's all in fun,
They cry, they cry, they cry, they cry
Without a sound
They disappear without a sound
They walk without a sound without a sound
Disappear without a sound
Cry without a sound
Yai, yaj, yaj, yaj, yaj, yaj, yaj
The desperate ones

 

[fox69]

"The Dove"

"The Dove"


The dove she is a pretty bird, she sings as she flies
She brings us glad tidings and tells us no lies
She drinks the spring waters to make her voice clear
When her nest she is building and summer is near

Come all you young fellows take warning by me
Don't go for a soldier, don't join no army
For the dove she will leave you, the raven will come
And death will come marching at the beat of a drum

Come all you pretty fair maids, come walk in the sun
And don't let your young man ever carry a gun
For the gun, it will scare her, and she'll fly away
And then there'll be weeping by night and by day.

The dove she is a pretty bird, she sings as she flies
She brings us glad tidings and tells us no lies
She drinks the spring waters to make her voice clear
When her nest she is building and summer is near

 

[fox69]

"The Fallow Way"

"The Fallow Way"


I'll learn to love the fallow way
When winter draws the valley down
And stills the rivers in their storm
And freezes all the little brooks
Time when our steps slow to the song
Of falling flakes and crackling flames
When silver stars are high and still
Deep in the velvet of the night sky

The crystal time the silence times
I'll learn to love their quietness
While deep beneath the glistening snow
The black earth dreams of violets
I'll learn to love the fallow way

I'll learn to love the fallow way
When all my colors fade to white
And flying birds fold back their wings
Upon my anxious wondering's
The sun has slanted all her rays
Across the vast and harvest plains
My memories mingle in the dawn
I dream a joyful vagabonds

The crystal times the silence times
I'll learn to love their quietness
When deep beneath the glistening snow
The black earth dreams in of violets
I'll learn to love the fallow times

No drummer comes across the plains
To tell of triumph or of pain
No word far off battle's cry
To draw me out or draw me nigh
I'll learn to love the fallow way

I'll learn to love the fallow way
And gather in the patient fruits
And after autumns blaze and burn
I'll know the full still, deep roots
That nothing seem to know or need

That crack the ice in frozen ponds
And slumbering in winter's folds
Have dreams of green and blue and gold
I'll learn to love the fallow way
And listening for blossoming
Of my own heart once more in spring

As sure as time, as sure as snow
As sure as moonlight, wind and stars
The fallow time will fall away
The sun will bring an April day
And I will yield to Summer's way

 

[fox69]

"The First Noel"

"The First Noel"


The First Noel
The angels did say
Was to certain
Poor shepherds
In fields as they lay
In fields where they may
Keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night
That was so deep
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born
Is the King of Israel

They looked up
And saw a star
Shining in the East
Beyond them far
And to the Earth
It gave great light
And so it continued
Both day and night
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born
Is the King of Israel

Then entered
In those Wise men three
Full reverently
Upon their knee
And offered there
In His presence
Their gold and myrrh
And frankincense
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born
Is the King of Israel
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born
Is the King of Israel

 

[fox69]

"The Holly And The Ivy"

"The Holly And The Ivy"


The holly and the ivy
When they are both full grown
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown

The rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing in the choir

The holly bears a blossom
As white as a lily flower
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to be our sweet Savior

The rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing in the choir

The holly bears a berry
As red as any blood
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to do us sinners good

The rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing in the choir

The holly bears a bark
As bitter as any gall
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all

The rising of the sun
The running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing in the choir

The holly and the ivy
When they are both full grown
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown

The rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing in the choir

The rising of the sun
The running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing in the choir
Sweet singing in the choir
Sweet singing in the choir

 

[fox69]

"The Hostage"

"The Hostage"


I'm a guard in the great iron prison, at least I was 'till now.
It was never a picnic social, never a day.
They never come in laughing and you know they never taught them how
It was damn hard work, and you wouldn't believe the pay.

It was early in the morning, Lord, I wasn't but half awake,
When the cons went nuts, and took us by surprise.
I never was one for shaking, but I found it hard to stand,
With a six-inch blade held right between my eyes.

We could hear a siren blowing, somebody yelled in pain.
Then it got so quiet, you could hear a bird walk by.
They all had masks on their faces, and they spoke with a voice of Cain
"If they come in shooting, then you know you're bound to die.
If they come in shooting, then you know you're bound to die."

I turned to a buddy named Willie, I said "Willie, It'll be all right,
If they meant to kill us we'd be half way down to Hell.
See, they high-jacked a plane in the desert, and the government screamed and cries,
But to save some lives, they opened up a prison cell".

So the days kept coming and going, tension was getting high.
But I wasn't too worried, I figured I knew the score.
I knew they were talking to someone, I knew they were willing to try.
So I figured my freedom was a matter of a day or two more.

But, Jesus, early this morning, the whirlybird dropped the gas,
It made me puke and it brought me to my knees.
The bullets came like hail-stones, I heard the first ones pass,
Then they cut down Willie, and they got Jim Kelly and me.
They cut down Willie, and they got Jim Kelly and me.

They come in yelling curses, like they were crossing the River Rhine
Shot down every God-damned thing they saw.
And while I lay there wounded, I took another one in my spine,
Poor Jim Kelly took another one in his jaw.
Oh, Poor Jim Kelly took another one in his jaw.

They say we had our throats cut by a band of desperate men,
Say they saved as many of us as they could.
Well the governor he should know it, but I think I'll say it again
That the governor cut my throat and he cut it good.

Let them take the governor, hold him for a couple of days.
See who goes in shooting to set him free.
Hell they'd open every jail in the country, they'd send them on their way
They'd never do to him what the governor done to me.
They'd never do to him what the governor done to me.