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Shallow Graves

by The Maledictions

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1.
Willow O Willow 03:22
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The poor soul sat sighing by a sycamore tree With his hand upon his bosom and his head upon his knee He sighed in his singing and made a great moan I'm dead to all pleasure my true love has gone Willow o willow Willow o woe Willow o willow Willow o woe The bluebird sat by him made tame by his moans The true tears that fell from him would have melted the stones Come all you forsaken and mourn you with me Who speaks of a false love? Mine's falser than she Willow o willow Willow o woe Willow o willow Willow o woe I'll no more boast of her in palace or bower Love buds but it blasteth ere it be a wildflower Through fair and more false I die of my wound Under this willow and a blood red moon Willow o willow Willow o woe Willow o willow Willow o woe Let nobody chide her, her scorn I approve She was born to be false and more false did I prove Take this for my farewell and latest adieu Write this on my tomb, "My love, it was true" Willow o willow Willow o woe Willow o willow Willow o woe
2.
Jellon Graham 05:13
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Well Jellon Graham was the fucking man And he knocked up Rosy Flower And he hid in the woods wringing his hands Hour after hour "If word get out a babe be born, her pa and all her kin Will hang me in the early morn as surely as I've sinned" Poor poor Jellon Graham Poor poor Jellon Graham So Jellon sent his servant boy to fetch that Rosy fair While he stayed behind in the wood tearing out his hair When Rosy finally arrived, the babe was soon to drop So Jellon grabbed a nearby ax and gave her head a chop Poor poor Jellon Graham Poor poor Jellon Graham No pity did Jellon feel for Rosy as he dug Yet pity he felt for the unborn babe smothering in her blood He cut the babe from her corpse and washed it in the stream And took it home to his wife saying it was some found changeling Poor poor Jellon Graham Poor poor Jellon Graham Well Jellon raised the boy and sat him on his knee And he learned in one year's time what others do in three He taught the boy to shoot a bow and how to use a knife And he learned in one year's time what others do in five Poor poor Jellon Graham Poor poor Jellon Graham It fell out in the summertime when they were hunting game They came to rest in the wood where Rosy Flower was slain Well Rosy Flower was a witch and she ran the local coven And she fucked the devil long and hard and he put a little bun in her oven Poor poor Jellon Graham Poor poor Jellon Graham "I wonder why," the boy did say, "All the wood is green Except for that spot yonder neath that dead oak tree I know why Jellon Graham my mother never heard my cry For there's the place you laid her low and left her soul to die" Poor poor Jellon Graham Poor poor Jellon Graham Well the lad took an arrow that was keen and sharp And he drew it to his cheek and pierced cruel Jellon's heart "Lie there lie there Jellon Graham a grave you'll never see The place where my mother lies is far too good for thee" Poor poor Jellon Graham Poor poor Jellon Graham Well, what's the moral of this tale? Well none can really tell I guess don't go fucking witches or you'll wind up in hell Like... Poor poor Jellon Graham Poor poor Jellon Graham
3.
Cuckoo 03:13
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Oh the cuckoo is a pretty bird and she warbles as she flies But she never hollers cuckoo till you reach your darker side Till you reach your darker side Well, I climbed that whole mountain just to get to that whiskey still And I got me a devil bottle for an Andy Jackson bill For and Andy Jackson bill Jack of Diamonds, Jack of Diamonds you're the hardest card I know You robbed my poor body but you never took my soul You never took my soul Well, I climbed that whole mountain just to get my demons high Now its greenbacks when they're hungry and whiskey till I die Yeah, whiskey when they're dry Oh the cuckoo is a pretty bird and she warbles as she flies But she never hollers cuckoo till you reach your darker side Till you reach your darker side Cuckoo cuckoo Cuckoo Cuckoo Sugar Baby met Miss Lacey Crescent City bound Sugar Baby and Miss Lacey went and shot this grifter down Went and shot this poor boy down Oh the cuckoo is a pretty bird and she steals from a robin's nest But she never hollers cuckoo till you're dead in your Sunday best Till you're dead in your Sunday best Oh the cuckoo is a pretty bird and she warbles as she flies But she never hollers cuckoo till you reach your darker side Till you reach your darker side Jack of Diamonds, Jack of Diamonds you're the hardest card I know You robbed my poor body but you never took my soul You never took my soul Oh the cuckoo is a pretty bird and she warbles as she flies But she never hollers cuckoo till you reach your darker side Till you reached your poor graveside Till you reached your poor graveside
4.
Gallows Pole 05:25
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Hangman Hangman stay your hand awhile I think I see my salvation riding a hard long mile Hangman hold Who'll save me from the gallows pole O Hangman hold Who'll save me from the gallows pole I think I see my papa I think I see my ma I think I see my baby coming down the walk Hangman hold Come to save me from the gallows pole O to save my soul O to save me from the gallows pole Papa did you bring me silver, mama did you bring me gold Baby what did you bring me to save me from the hangman's rope Save my soul O save me from the gallows pole O save my soul Save me from the gallows pole "Son we ain't got no silver, son we ain't got no gold All we got is prayers now, Jesus save your soul Save your soul Who'll save you from the gallows pole" O Lord knows Who'll save you from the gallows pole" Who'll save you from the gallows O save my soul Save me from the gallows pole Well, my baby took that hangman, led him to a shady grove Said, "If you save my man now, I'll ride atop your gallows pole Your gallows pole Hitch my skirts and ride upon your gallows pole Oh your gallows pole I'll ride up and down your gallows pole" Your gallows pole I'll ride upon your gallows pole Your gallows pole I'll ride and come upon your gallows pole Then come a silver dagger from a threadbare coat Damn if she didn't drive that dagger through that hangman's throat Saved my soul My baby saved me from the gallows pole Drove that dagger home My baby saved me from the gallows pole Well papa ain't got no silver, mama ain't got no gold My baby left that hangman hanging from the gallows pole The gallows pole Hangman hanging from the gallows pole O she saved soul She left that hangman hanging from the gallows pole O the gallows pole My baby left that hangman hanging from the gallows pole
5.
Mourning Fair 05:21
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As I woke up one morning fair To take a walk in the morning air I thought I heard my true love say, "O will you turn and look my way?" She gave me sunshine she gave me joy But she dearly loved that butcher boy She would not cast a glance my way She loved that butcher boy clear as day He told her tales, he told her lies Then took another for his bride He told her tales, he told her lies He left her child bound high and dry She took my ring, she gave me joy But still she mourned that butcher boy He threw her over for a silver coin But still she loved that butcher boy She went upstairs to her bed With an ache all around her head A cord she tied around the sill I found her hanging in the morning chill To her breast she pinned a note With a trembling hand she wrote, "Heap up my grave so very high, My love might see it as he rides by" She gave me sunshine, she gave me joy But she was strung up by that butcher boy I heaped up her grave so very high Her love might see it as he rides by I heaped up her grave so very high Her love might see it as he rides by
6.
Pretty Polly 03:16
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O Pretty Polly come away with me O Pretty Polly come away with me Before we get married some pleasure to see She took him by his hand and away they did go She took him by his hand and away they did go Over hill and mountain to the holler below "O Willy Willy I'm afraid of your ways O Willy Willy I'm afraid of your ways My ma she did tell me you'd lead me astray They went a little further and what did Polly see They went a little further and what did Polly see A fresh dug grave and a spade by the tree "O Pretty Polly you're a guessing 'bout right O Pretty Polly you're a guessing 'bout right I dug your grave the best part of last night" She knelt down before him and wept for her life She knelt down before him and wept for her life "If I am to die, who will be your bride?" He stabbed her in the heart and her blood did flow He stabbed her in the heart and her blood did flow And into the grave did Pretty Polly go He threw a little dirt o'er her and headed for home He threw a little dirt o'er her and headed for home Leaving nothing behind but the cold wind to moan O gentleman and ladies I must bid you farewell O gentleman and ladies I must bid you farewell I must wed my Pretty Polly when we meet again in hell
7.
Rain It Raineth 02:42
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When I was a tiny little boy With a hey ho and the wind and the rain A foolish thing was but a toy For the rain it raineth every day Every day Every day For the rain it raineth Every day But when I hitched back To my daddy's estate With a hey ho and the wind and the rain 'Gainst my fool heart they shut the gate For the rain it raineth every day Every day Every day For the rain it raineth Every day So I knelt down and took to wife With a hey ho and the wind and the rain But all my bullying only come to strife For the rain it raineth every day Every day Every day For the rain it raineth Every day So lay me down in my dying bed With a hey ho and the wind and the rain A bottle of rum for my poor head For the rain it raineth every day Every day Every day For the rain it raineth Every day A long while ago the world begun With a hey ho and the wind and the rain But that's all one, this fucker's song is sung For the rain it raineth every day Every day Every day For the rain it raineth Every day
8.
Reynardine 04:16
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One evening as I rambled through the mountains high I saw a brave young maiden converse with bold Reynadine Her hair was black as raven, her sky blue eyes did shine And he smiled to gaze upon her did that sly bold Reynardine. She said, "Kind sir be civil, my company forsake For in my own opinion, I fear you are some rake" "Oh no", he said, "No rake am I, brought up in Venus train I only seek fair company all along this lonesome plain" "I come from over the mountain, my castle there you'll find Many a maiden knows me by the name of Reynardine" "Your beauty so enticed me, I could not pass it by Take my arm and I'll guide you all through these mountains high" Sun and dark she followed him, his fangs so white did shine And he led her o'er the mountains did that sly, bold Reynardine
9.
Shake Sugaree 04:21
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I got a secret I shouldn't tell I'm going to heaven In a split pea shell Lordy me Didn't we shake Sugaree Everything I have Is down in pawn I pawned my watch I pawned my chain Even tried to sell myself But I got so ashamed Lordy me Didn't we shake Sugaree Everything I have Is down in pawn I found a needle In a lullaby Now all my friends say I'm fixin' to die Lordy me Didn't we shake Sugaree Everything I have Is down in pawn I pawned my pistols I pawned my bed Now there ain't no where For me to lay my fool head Lordy me Didn't we shake Sugaree Everything I have Is down in pawn I got a secret Sssh I shouldn't tell I'm going to heaven In a split pea shell Lordy me Didn't we shake Sugaree Everything I have Is down in pawn
10.
Two Ravens 03:45
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As I was walking the long road home I heard two ravens gossiping low One to the other raven did say, "Where shall we go and dine the day?" "Well I heard a rumor if I heard it right Out in the brier lies a fresh slain knight And no one knows he's a lying there 'Cept his hawk and his hound and his lady fair "Well his hawk is roaming the open skies And his hound is wandering the countryside And his lady fair has a brand new beau So high ho and away we go" As I was walking the long road home I heard two ravens gossiping low One to the other raven did say, "Where shall we go and dine the day?" "You can feast on that tongue wot lies And I'll help myself to his bonny blue eyes And with a lock of his golden hair We'll make a nest for when the trees fall bare" "And you can sit on his white breast bone Just like a king upon a throne And no one knows he's a lying there 'Cept his hawk and his hound and his lady fair
11.
Willy O' Winsbury 05:18
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O the king has been a prisoner A prisoner long in Spain And Willy o' the Winsbury Has laid long with his daughter at home "What ails you, what ails you my daughter Anne That ye look so pale and wan? O have ye had the sore sickness Or been sleeping with a man?" "No I have not had the sore sickness Nor been sleeping with a man But it is for you to see my father dear For biding so long in Spain" "Cast off, cast off your berry brown gown Stand naked upon the stone That I may know you by your shape If you be a maiden or none" And she cast off her berry brown gown And stood naked upon the stone And her smile was sly and haunches round An her skin was pale and wan "Was it with a lord or duke or knight Or a man of birth and fame? Or was it with one of my serving men Come lately back from Spain?" "No, it wasn't with a lord or duke or knight Or a man of birth and fame But it was with Willy o' Winsbury I could bide no longer alone" And the king he called his merry men all But thirty and by three Saying, "Fetch me this Willy o' Winsbury For hanged he shall be" When Willy came the king before He was clad all in the red silk And his hair was like the golden strands And his skin was white as the milk "It is no wonder," said the king "That my daughter's love ye did win For if I was a woman as I'm a man My bedfellow you would have been O will you marry my daughter Anne Or hang by my right hand? O will you marry my daughter Anne And I'll make you the lord of my land" "Why yes, I'll marry your daughter Anne By the truth of my right hand Why yes, I'll marry your daughter Anne But I'll not be the lord of your land" And he mounted her on a mild white steed And himself on a dapple grey And he made her the lady of all the land As she could ride on a warm summer's day

about

The Folk tradition is a shallow grave and we've dug up a few bones and given them new clothes to dance around in.

credits

released October 1, 2019

All songs written, adapted and arranged by Kevin Orton. Produced and recorded by Andre Fratto.

Kevin Orton- vocals, guitar
Andre Fratto- guitar, organ, bass, fiddles, flute, atmospherics
John Kruth- flute, cuckoo call, banjo, mando-cello, mandolin, sitar, penny whistle
Suzanne Kaiser- Lap steel guitar, midget accordion
Erin Moon- vocals

This record is dedicated to friends dearly departed.

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The Maledictions New York, New York

The Maledictions' sound has been called "Gothic Americana", "Country Noir" and "Nick Cave meets Johhny Cash". "It's all just Folk Music," says band leader, Kevin Orton, "Maybe aggressive Folk but Folk music...I tend to write songs about people who are uninsured". After a solo album, FEMME NOIR (featuring Gordon Gano), Orton formed The Maledictions. Full discography here from albums to singles. ... more

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