The Wider View

Song Cycle by H. Leslie Adams (b. 1932)

1. To the Road!
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Cool is the wind, for the summer is waning,
Who's for the road?
Sunflecked and soft,
where the dead leaves are raining,
Who's for the road?

Knapsack and alpenstock press hand and shoulder,
Prick of the brier and roll of the boulder;
This be your lot while the seasons grow older;
Who's for the road?
Up and away in the hush of the morning,
Who's for the road?
Vagabonds we, all conventions ascorning,
Who's for the road?

Music of warblers so merrily singing,
Draughts from the rill from the roadside upspringing,
Nectar of grapes from the vines lowly swinging,
Who's for the road?
Now ev'ry house is a hut or a hovel,
Come to the road!
Mankind and moles in the dark love to grovel,
But to the road.

Throw off the loads that are bending you double;
Love is for life, only labor is trouble;
Truce to the town who's best gift is a bubble:
Come to the road!

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2. Homesick blues
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
De railroad bridge's
A sad song in de air.
De railroad bridge's
A sad song in de air.
Ever time de trains pass 
I want to go somewhere.

Oh, I went down to de station.
Ma heart was in ma mouth.
Went down to de station,
Heart was in ma mouth.
Lookin' for a box car
To roll me to de South.

Homesick blues, Lawd, 
'S a terrible thing to have.
Homesick blues, Lawd, 
'S a terrible thing to have.
To keep from cryin',
I opens ma mouth an' laughs.

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3. Li'l' Gal
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Oh, de weathah it is balmy an' de breeze is sighin' low, Li'l' gal,
An' de mockin' bird is singin' in de locus by de do', Li'l' gal;
Dere's a-hummin' an' a-bummin' in de lan' f'om eas' to wes',
I's a-sighin' fu' you, honey, an' I nevah know no res'.
Fu' dey's lots o' trouble brewin' an' a-stewin' in my breas', Li'l' gal.

Whut's de mattah wid de weathah, whut's de mattah wid de breeze, Li'l' gal?
Whut's de mattah wid de locus' dat's a-singin' in de trees, Li'l' gal?
W'y dey knows dey ladies love 'em, an' dey knows dey love 'em true,
An' dey love 'em back, I reckon, des' lak I's a-lovin' you;
Dat's de reason dey's a-weavin' an' a-sighin', thoo an' thoo, Li'l' gal.

Don't you let no fella fool you 'cause de clo'es he waihs is fine, Li'l' gal.
Dey's a hones' hea't a-beatin' unnerneaf dese rags o' mine, Li'l' gal.
C'ose dey ain' no use in mockin' whut de birds an' weathah do,
But I's so'y I cain't 'spress it w'en I knows I loves you true,
Dat's de reason I's a-sighin' an' a-singin' now fu' you, Li'l' gal.

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4. Love Come and Gone
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Consider me a memory, a dream that passed away
 [ ... ]

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5. The Wider View
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
In my childhood I was wont
 [ ... ]

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6. Love Rejoices
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
I walk alone upon a lonely beach
 [ ... ]

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Total word count: 764