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Some Distant Shore

by A Different Thread

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1.
Red is the rose in yonder garden grows Fair is the lily of the valley Clear is the water that rose from the Boyne And my love is fairer than any Come over the sea my bonnie English lad Come over the sea to your darlin' I’ll choose the rose and you’ll make the vow And you’ll swear to love me forever And red is the rose in yonder garden grows Fair is the lily of the valley Clear is the water that rose from the Boyne And my love is fairer than any We were down by Killarney’s green woods when we strayed And the moon and the stars, they were shining Then the moon shone it’s rays down on your pretty face And you swore to love me forever Well it ain’t for the parting of your dear sister Kate It ain’t for the grief of your mother It is all for the loss of my bonnie English lad That my heart now is breaking forever And red is the rose in yonder garden grows Fair is the lily of the valley Clear is the water that rose from the Boyne And my love is fairer than any
2.
Pretty Polly 05:14
Polly pretty Polly won’t you come along with me Polly pretty Polly won’t you come along with me Before we get married, some pleasures to see She climbed up behind him and away they did ride She climbed up behind him and away they did ride Over valleys so low and mountains so high Willy, oh Willy I’m afraid of your ways Willy, oh Willy I’m afraid of your ways The way we’ve been riding will lead us astray Polly, pretty Polly, your guess is about right Polly, pretty Polly, your guess is about right I dug on your grave the best part of last night They rode up a little further and what did they spy They rode up a little further and what did they spy A newly dug grave with a spade lyin’ by She got down on her knees and she begged for her life She got down on her knees and she begged for her life Sayin’ let me live a single girl if I can’t be your wife He stabbed her through the heart and her life’s blood did flow He stabbed her through the heart and her life’s blood did flow And into the grave, her fair body did throw The queen called for sailors to go out to sea The queen called for sailors to go out to sea Young William enlisted quite eagerly ’Twas early one morning before the break of day ’Twas early one morning and the captain did say There’s a murderer onboard and the ship she won’t sway Then up jumped one sailor, indeed sir, not I Up jumped another, said, indeed sir, not I Then up jumped young William to storm, curse. and cry Then Willy turned yellow, then purple, then green Then Willy turned yellow, then purple, then green For before him the ghost of pretty Polly’d been seen She ripped him, she stripped him, she tore him in three She ripped him, she stripped him, she tore him in three Sayin’ that’s for the death of my baby and me
3.
Cruel Mother 03:57
There was a lady lived in York All alone and loney She fell in love with her father’s clerk Down by the green wood sidey She loved him up, she loved him down All alone and loney She loved him ‘till she hit the ground Down by the green wood sidey She leaned her back against a thorn All alone and loney And there she had to fine babes born Down by the green wood sidey She pulled out her yellow hair All alone and loney She tied those poor babes 'round with care Down by the green wood sidey She pulled out her reaping knife All alone and loney She stabbed those two babes through the hearts Down by the green wood sidey She lay them both under a stone All alone and loney And then she returned as a fair maid home Down by the green wood sidey One day she was sitting’ in her father’s hall All alone and loney She saw two babes come a plain at ball Down by the green wood sidey Oh babes, Oh babes, if you was mine All alone and loney I’d dress ye up in scarlet fine Down by the green wood sidey Oh mother, oh mother it’s we was yours All alone and loney And scarlet was our own hearts blood Down by the green wood sidey You wiped your knife upon your shoe All alone and loney The more you wiped, more red it grew Down by the green wood sidey You lay us both under a stone All alone and loney And now you sit as a fair maid home Down by the green wood sidey Oh babes oh babes it’s heaven for you All alone and loney Oh mother, oh mother it’s hell for you Down by the green wood sidey-o
4.
It was ten years ago on a cold dark night Someone was killed ‘neath the town hall light There were few at the scene but they all agreed That the killer who ran looks a lot like me She walks these hills in a long black veil Visits my grave when the cold winds wail Nobody knows nobody sees Nobody knows but me The judge said son, what’s your alibi If you were somewhere’s else Then you don’t have to die I said not a word though it meant my life For I’d been in the arms of my best friend’s wife She walks these hills in a long black veil Visits my grave when the cold winds wail Nobody knows nobody sees Nobody knows but me The scaffolding’s high and eternity near She stands in the crowd and she sheds not a tear But sometimes at night when the cold winds moan In a long black veil she cries over my bones She walks these hills in a long black veil Visits my grave when the cold winds wail Nobody knows nobody sees Nobody knows but me Nobody knows nobody sees Nobody knows but me
5.
The time draws near My dearest dear For you and I to part What little you know Of the pain and woe In my poor aching heart In my poor aching heart, my love Believe me when I say I wish that I could go with you Or wish that you could stay The blackest crow that ever few Would surely turn to white If ever I prove false to you Bright day would turn to night Bright day would turn to night, my love The elements would mourn If ever I prove false to you The seas would rage and burn I wish my heart was made of glass Wherein it you’d behold Upon a note Your name it wrote In letters made of gold In letters made of gold, my love Believe me when I say You are the one That I’ll adore ‘Till my own dying day When you’re bound for Some distant shore Think of your absent friend And when the wind Blows high and clear A line to me pray send A line to me pray send, my love If it be just a word From you to me Across the sea By bottle or by bird The blackest crow that ever flew Would surely turn to white

about

Intimate and raw, this five track ep blends elements of 70’s folk revival, piedmont blues, and americana into a dark and compelling whole. Packed with fiddle, harmonica and enticing harmonies, 'Some Distant Shore' delves into the band's roots, taking you on a transatlantic journey from timeless Irish classics to Appalachian murder ballads.

credits

released May 22, 2020

Traditional songs, rearranged by A Different Thread

Alicia Best - Vocals, fiddle, percussion
Robert Jackson - Vocals, guitar, harmonica
Richard Allen - Upright Bass
Produced by A Different Thread and Luke Cawthra
Engineered by Luke Cawthra
Alma Vale Studio, Bristol, UK
© A Different Thread 2020

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A Different Thread North Carolina

“Warm, deep singer-songwriters who have drank from the well of 20th century tradition” - Folk Radio UK

A Different Thread, is the collaboration between Robert Jackson from Lichfield, England, and Alicia Best from Durham, North Carolina, USA. Both traveling songwriters in their own right, they first met while busking in Galway, Ireland, back in 2016 and have been touring together ever since.
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