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Well Met

by Jeremiah Hess

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1.
John Henry 04:50
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When John Henry was a baby Sitting on his mama's knee He picked up a hammer in his little right hand Said "hammer be the death of me, Lord God Hammer be the death of me." Born a slave in Carolina Freed by the sword and the pen Breaking rock for the Reconstruction John Henry was a steel driving man, Lord God John Henry was a steel driving man. Working for the Chesapeake & Ohio Clearing out a Western route Big Bend Mountain stood right in the way The bosses said to go right on through, Lord God Bosses said to go on through. So the Captain said to John Henry "Gonna bring my steam drill around Gonna bring my steam drill out on the job Too many boys dropping down, Lord God Too many boys dropping down." John Henry said to that Captain "Man ain't nothing but a man But before I let a machine make a fool out of me I'll die with a hammer in my hand, Lord God Die with a hammer in my hand." John Henry kissed his hammer Captain, he turned on his steam Shaker held his trusty steel Was the biggest race the world had ever seen, Lord God Biggest race the world ever seen. The Captain who brought in that steam drill Thought that he was mighty fine But John Henry's hammer pounded fourteen feet Steam drill only made it nine, Lord God Steam drill only made it nine. John Henry pounded in that mountain His hammer was striking fire Til he stopped with a start and a hand up to his heart Laid down with his hammer and he died, Lord God Laid down with his hammer and he died. They took him to that makeshift graveyard Laid him down in the sand Now every locomotive coming rolling on by Holler "there lies a steel driving man, There lies a steel driving man."
2.
And So 02:54
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And so it begins With the red leaves still on their stems The ONE WAY sign wavers but holds True as well as it can in the wind One foot in front of the other Crackles and scrapes In the shifting landscape Lift your crowed eyes to the sky Raise the white sail and fill it with wind Focus your mind to one single point Throttle to calm, pure red One foot in front of the other Your moment has arrived Predecessors all stand behind They won't wait And neither will you.
3.
Seraphim 03:28
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Perspective soon subsides Letting you forget it’s there Your eyes are just your eyes Collecting only a small spectrum of light The sounds I heard Were not the words you said I see things that aren’t even there Distraction comes in waves Spilling clutter in the mind It’s the character of caves Containing echoes and creating sustain The sounds I heard Were not the words you said I see things that aren’t even there There’s a way to a door underground – seraphim underskin To a room in a seed in the roots in a kiss in a wish With a sphere on a point on a plane humming low indigo Opening farther in there’s a way – seraphim underskin A candle illuminates As it gives itself away Like a cloud after rain If we are only wax what will remain?
4.
House Carpenter 04:06
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"Well met, well met" said an old true love "Well met, well met" said he "I've just returned from the salt salt sea And it's all for the love of thee" "Come in, come in my own true love And stay a while with me It's been three-fourths of a long long year Since together we have been" "No I can't come in or I can't sit down For I have not but a moment's time I've heard you're married to a house carpenter And your heart will never be mine "Now it's I could've married a king's daughter dear And I'm sure she'd have married me But I forsaken her crowns and gold And it's all for the love of thee "Now will you forsaken your house carpenter And go away with me I'll take you where the grass grows green On the banks of the deep blue sea" Then she picked up her little babe And kisses gave it three Saying "stay right here my darling little babe And keep your papa company" They hadn't been on ship but about two weeks I'm sure it was not three 'Fore she began to weep and mourn And he cried most bitterly Says "are you weeping for my silver or my gold? Or are you weeping for my store? Or are you weeping for that house carpenter Whose face you'll never see anymore?" "No I ain't weeping for your silver or your gold Or neither for your store I'm weeping for my darling little babe Whose face I'll never see anymore" They hadn't been on ship but about three weeks I'm sure it was not four 'Fore they sprang a leak at the bottom of the ship And it sunken for to rise no more
5.
Concessions 03:54
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Long, long, long away I must not have lost what I don't ever miss Concessions made Harmony requires temperament History creeps on spider legs What could I say if I had the words Or syllables I surrendered So that we could talk Together in any room Concessions leave us with less to say Together I can't help wondering What if we'd never written it down? Once codified Rhythm is reduced to markers So that we could talk Together without listening Concessions keep us well in our place Together
6.
I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground 03:48
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O I wish I was a mole in the ground I wish I was a mole in the ground If I was a mole in the ground I would root that mountain down I wish I was a mole in the ground O Penny wants a nine-dollar shawl Penny wants a nine-dollar shawl When I come over the hill with a forty dollar bill "Baby where you been so long" O I been in the bend so long I been in the bend so long Been in the bend with the rough and rowdy men I been in the bend so long O I don't like a railroad man I don't like a railroad man Cause a railroad man, he'll kill you if he can Drink up your blood like wine O I wish I was a lizard in the spring I wish I was a lizard in the spring If I was a lizard in the spring I could hear my darling sing I wish I was a lizard in the spring O Penny let your hair roll down Penny let your hair roll down Let your hair roll down and your bangs to curl around Penny let your hair roll down O I wish I was a mole in the ground I wish I was a mole in the ground If I was a mole in the ground I would root that mountain down I wish I was a mole in the ground
7.
Pollen 04:24
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Underneath the waterline There she lies still in the sunshine Copper woven in her hair Petals from orchids that grow there Still in the sunshine Dragonflies and creeping vine Under trees massive and unkind From the darkness torches flare Silhouettes dance out of nowhere Massive and unkind Berries of the sweetest kind Stain the hands bloody with red wine Mice are roaming unaware Of an owl’s patient and cruel stare Bloody with red wine Pollen carries on the wind Now there is the slightest smile Copperheads among the ferns Now there is the slightest smile Underneath the waterline There she lies still in the sunshine Copper woven in her hair Petals from orchids that grow there Still in the sunshine
8.
Arthur McBride 03:02
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I had a first cousin called Arthur McBride He and I took a stroll down by the seaside Seeking good fortune and what brought the tide Just as our day was a-dawning. Then we sought a dram after stretching our legs We met Sergeant Harper and Corporal Clegg In front of the pub as if they were to beg But their medals shone bright in the morning. He said “my young fellows if you will enlist A guinea you quickly shall have in your fist To judge by your bellies, some meals have you missed Let’s drink the King’s health in the morning. "You will earn your manhood while in the brigade And when your tour’s up you will have learned a trade Unless you decide yourselves much too afraid Let’s see what you’re made of this morning.” “Had we been such fools as to take the advance For a pocket of money surrender our chance You would think it no scruples to send us to France To die in a trench in the morning!” He said “now now now, boys, just one more word And instantly now I will out with my sword And cut out your wagging tongues as strength will afford So now, my young devils, take warning.” But Arthur and I, we took the odds And we gave them no chance to strike with their swords Our crushing shilleleighs took place of our words And paid them right smart in the morning. As for the fine rapier that swung by his side We flung it as far as we could in the tide “To the Devil I pit you,” says Arthur McBride “To temper your steel in the morning.”
9.
92M 02:49
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This one's for the ninety-two-Mikes Who volunteer to care for Army dead Collection points established out of sight Of the kids of course to keep their spirits high When the fallen arrive out of the dust Try to reassure The tearful friends who probably think they failed him Reconstruct the uniform from scratch Cosmetize the rest the best you can One last look . . . Load them in their caskets on a plane With the blue field of stars over the heart And when they are home They’re met at attention on the airfield This one’s for the ninety-two-Mikes Dignity, reverence, respect
10.
From the Size of a Zero 04:09
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In a rainstorm on Woodward, my jacket held tight I walked in the rain and hoped vaguely that you were all right From the size of a zero To the size of a grape Less of a tiny abstraction as days tick away I haven't tried my hardest and I haven't been my best I've failed most of the real tests I've taken so far You would think that would change When my life is rearranged I guess we'll all find out together soon enough Now there never has been anything like a blank slate in this place You're as close as you ever will get to a state of grace From the size of a zero To the size of a lime If we're lucky we'll have your room ready on time And I only hope you'll be More hopeful than me At midday on Woodward the rain's turned to snow And that's lighter and more like the world I want you to know
11.
I Watched the Sky Disappear 05:20
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Looking up at the sky beyond the leaves The hard and icy gray Try to think of the sun, not the pointed gun No one knows where to find me If they even know I’m gone. Club Shenandoah, I think of it as mine Cigarettes, rum, numbers and rye Twists like to dance and I have a chance I’m a square G but still I take any chance I get Daniels, I wish you hadn’t seen me that night Though I was not the mark you tailed I cannot be sure of what you heard So I left you in the alley with a Well-placed bullethole. Yeah, I’m the Dane’s boy but I have many friends And my own ends to pursue Tom, you were right about Bernie but I Never had good taste in people And I found out a day too late 4:30 AM, my front door was wide I wasn’t happy to find him there I guess he could tell; I don’t hide feelings well Too bad I never reloaded my .22 Bernie had an idea. He gagged me and tied up my wrists with a rope Threw me in the back of a motor-car Talking and grinning all the way to the Crossing Down the path and through the trees It was clear. It had come. What he did to my face he did after I was dead I watched the sky disappear Wish I could claim that some part of me remains And you can hear me in the wind But I don’t believe in that kind of thing.

credits

released March 17, 2009

With Jonathan Hess, trap kit. Songs written by Jeremiah Hess except 1,4,7,9: Traditional, arranged and with lyrical liberties taken by Jeremiah Hess. Recorded and produced on the cheap by Jeremiah Hess. Dedicated with love to John and Veronica; thanks to Jonathan and Brooke.

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Jeremiah Hess Detroit, Michigan

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