One sunny day I drew the nightshade in my sleeping room and sighed
As all the town folk passed with sparkles in their eyes
I’m gonna sleep the whole day through and when I wake up, greet the night
With coal stained overalls, and trouble on my mind
Cause when the moon is casting shadows on the sleeping souls at ease
I’m reading gauges on the steam box, jerking water from a stream
When the train runs out of steam, lord, I will lay me down to sleep
I’m gonna pop up four leaf clovers when I die
That heavy rail just keeps on setting toward the sky, lord, toward the sky
I’m gonna bear my final sorrow, then I’ll cry
When the day was young and bright, lord, my dear she came to me
With a yellow flower that she heaved up from the grass
And I set off into the sunset, my head hanging heavily
Just like that sunflower when the night is dark and vast
And I often dream of sunflowers’ petals aimed up toward the light
Shining down on my sweet love at the end of the line
When the train runs out of steam, lord, I will lay me down to sleep
I’m gonna pop up four leaf clovers when I die
That heavy rail just keeps on setting toward the sky, lord, toward the sky
I’m gonna bear my final sorrow, then I’ll cry
By the time the stars have faded and the day is breaking fast
I retire to my old sleeping car once more
And I set off into the sunset, my head hanging heavily
Just like that sunflower when the night is dark and vast
And I woke to sunflowers waving in that western prairie wind
My sunflower standing tall above me as I cried
When the train runs out of steam, lord, I will lay me down to sleep
I’m gonna pop up four leaf clovers when I die
That heavy rail just keeps on setting toward the sky, lord, toward the sky
I’m gonna bear my final sorrow, then I’ll cry
Oh when the train runs out of steam, lord, I will lay me down to sleep
I’m gonna pop up four leaf clovers when I die
That heavy rail just keeps on setting toward the sky, lord, toward the sky
I’m gonna bear my final sorrow, then I’ll cry
I’m gonna bear my final sorrow, then I’ll cry
credits
from Where the Lone Pine Stands,
released November 5, 2015
lyrics & tune: r. wittke
banjo & vocals: r. wittke
guitar & backup vocals: d. schramm
From Cork, Ireland, Lewis Barfoot writes mystic, majestic songs derived from regional folk, with an ambient music aura. Bandcamp New & Notable Dec 11, 2023
