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Soaring skywards, leaping sideways Do or die words cleave the air Joy and laughter, mornings after Raise the rafters, we don’t care If the roof’s beyond repair. Sisters, brothers, to all others Let that be our guiding star Hearts on fire but no messiah Hear the music from afar What we sing is what we are. Over hills and over valleys Over mountains, over seas Nations shall sing unto nations Until nations cease to be Unison in Harmony |
“Unison in Harmony” is performed by the a-cappella trio Coope Boyes & Simpson. Written by Jim Boyes in 1988, it was inspired by another, earlier set of singers. The first line-up of Blue Murder was a combination of two bands—the Watersons (at that time Norma, Lal, Rachel and Mike Waterson and Martin Carthy) and Swan Arcade (Dave and Heather Brady and Jim Boyes).
Looking for material to launch the new band, Lal Waterson asked Jim Boyes if he’d written anything they could use. Jim said he couldn’t write songs—“Yes you can,” said Ms. Waterson decisively, “everybody can write songs.” As a result of the conversation and thinking about the extensive parties that constituted Blue Murder’s early rehearsals, Jim went away and wrote this song and he hasn’t stopped writing since. Thanks to Georgina Boyes for the information. Since there are only three of them, they sing without the alto line, and your editor likes that arrangement better.
You can hear and see this on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3NKnPsKZ0k. For a printable copy of this song, click here.
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As she was walking home
At the midnight hour She saw a young man coming With a milk-white cow, Saying, “Can I walk with you And can I take you home? For it’s a dark and cloudy night and it’s best you’re not alone.” “No, you can’t walk with me, And no, you can’t take me home, For I’m not fond of any white cows And I’m better off alone.” As she was walking home Round about one o’clock She saw that young man coming With a snow-white dog. Saying, “Can I walk with you And can I take you home? For it’s a dark and cloudy night and it’s best you’re not alone.” “No, you can’t walk with me, And no, you can’t take me home, For I’m not fond of any white dogs And I’m better off alone.” As she was walking home At two in the morning, of course, She saw that young man riding With a cloud-white cow. Saying, “Can I walk with you And can I take you home? For it’s a dark and cloudy night and it’s best you’re not alone.” “Now, you’re a fine looking young man. I must say I do like your style, And you can walk along with me If I’m the one that rides.” |
So it’s up in the saddle she mounted
With the young man walking behind And in the sky the clouds all parted And the moon and stars gave light. And they were nearly at her home, So nearly at her door, But then a great gate rolled behind her And another gate before. And now she couldn’t go forward And now she couldn’t go back And something rolled across the sky And everything turned black. He said, “Now will you marry me?” “How can I answer,” she said, “When what I want is to be out of this fix And safely home in bed?” “Bring me your answer,” said he, “In a month and a day.” And suddenly the gates all opened And she rode on her way. And for the next four weeks she whistled For the next four weeks she sang And the next day she had gone from the village To the arms of her fine young man. You’ll ask me, did this all happen? You’ll ask if this story is true, All I’ll say is: “Take care where you’re going In case this happens to you.” Not everyone who smiles is your lover. Not everyone who tricks you is a foe, And sometimes there’s a twist in the story When you’re not sure where to go. But love won’t block all your choices, True love lets you be who you are, And real love shines more bright in the sky Than any moon or star. |
This song is from Anne Lister’s most recent CD, The Twist in the Story, released this year. The CD is available at www.cdbaby.com/cd/lister4, or you can buy copies from Camsco at camscomusic.com/. How to pronounce the horseman’s place … “Coynant uh Cuffdi, more or less,” Anne says.
Click here to hear Anne sing the first verse. For a printable copy of this song, click here.
The folknik song pages are lovingly produced by Kay Eskenazi, John Kelly, and Barbara Millikan. Barbara Millikan produced the song pages for this issue.
If you’d like to submit a song for possible publication, please send a score, tape/CD or (preferably) both to —