컨템퍼러리, 컨트리 음악의 대모 에멀리해리스의 정규 21번째 음반이며 넌서치에서의 3번째 음반이다. 발매 즉시 빌보드앨범 22위에 오르며 ‘81년 발매 된 “Evangeline” 이후로 가장 높은 순위를 기록했다. 삶과 죽음에 대하여 축복하며 15년간 식물인간으로 살고 있는 테리 시아보에 영감을 받아 작업한노래 “Sailing Round The Room”, 돌리 파튼이 게스트보컬로 참여한 “Gold” 그리고 존 스탈링과 함께 한 “Old Five and Dimers Like me” 등 이 돋보인다.
I was once a broken man I was once a broken fool Lost my wife and children To one basic broken rule Now I live my life in silence Though I'm not quite in a shell I drink and listen to that song A whiter shade of pale Oh, a whiter shade of pale
I was a good shade tree mechanic So I sent myself to school They smoothed out my rough edges In my hands they put new tools The instructor once he told me I could work on any line I could tune and make a diesel sing Just like Patsy Cline Oh, just like Patsy Cline
Well, I met my wife to be Through my mother's best friend son She'd been a barroom singer She was as good as anyone But I asked her to stop singing And the girl she did not flinch
Next day she went and bought that man A brand new crescent wrench Oh, a brand new crescent wrench
Well, we had three fine children As eight years went on by I learned to supervise a line My knuckles stayed bone dry
But after supper I kept hearing her By the kitchen radio Singing sweet but desperate harmony A little bit too low Oh, a little bit too low
She left three months later I'd just come home for lunch The note said easy come hard go But still love you much
She said I don't know if I'll be back Or if you'll want me if I come But if and when that happens, dear You better let my sweet dream run Oh, let my sweet dream run
I was a good shade tree mechanic So I sent myself to school They smoothed out my rough edges In my hands they put new tools The instructor once he told me I could work on any line But now a diesel ain't the only thing Can sing like Patsy Cline Oh, can sing like Patsy Cline
I was once a broken man I was once a broken fool Lost my wife and children To one basic broken rule Now I live my life in silence Though I'm not quite in a shell I drink and listen to that song A whiter shade of pale Oh, a whiter shade of pale
Oh, the night is growing colder, And the stars have lost their shine. And I have been forsaken, By everything I thought was mine. For in the darkest hour, When the final story's told, No matter how bright I glittered, baby, I could never be gold.
You gave up your finest treasure, For the one you saw in me. But how could I know the measure, Of all you needed me to be. Though I came with sweet intentions, More my pockets could not hold. No matter how bright I glittered, baby, I could never be gold.
I finally gave up counting, The ways you said I let you down. When I fell into that river of no return, And you watched me drown. Oh I could sparkle like a diamond, Have silver line my soul. But no matter how I glittered, baby, I could never be gold.
You looked so high and low for heaven, I tried so hard to show the way. But though I flew on wings of angels, My feet were always made of clay. I could come trailing clouds of glory, But you saw nothing to behold. No matter how bright I glittered, baby I could never be gold.
No matter how bright I glittered, baby, I could never be gold.
How she could sing the wildwood flower The orphan girl he would love so long In the end he knew she'd been his finest hour And all he has left of her is a song
He first saw her Standing by a cabin door Her song was ringing Out in a voice so strong and sure To the lonesome valley He'd bring her there to be his bride Where they would live and work together Side by side
She was his sunshine She was his moon and morning star His words would ring true On the chords of her guitar But he was driven And lost to her for days and days Till the lonesome valley finally drove her far away
How she could sing the wildwood flower The orphan girl he would love so long In the end he knew she'd been his finest hour And all he has left of her is a song
We all cling to As the years keep rolling on One single promise Of a love that's past and gone And that lonesome valley We all walk it by ourselves Where the wildwood flower Is a story we will tell
How she could sing the wildwood flower The orphan girl he would love so long In the end he knew she'd been his finest hour And all he has left of her is a song How she could sing the wildwood flower All we have left of her is a song
Don't you believe I loved you long enough Didn't I try to give you all the right stuff I hung around when the going got tough Don't you believe I loved you long enough
Where were you when the world turned black? All those nights you never answered back And I just asked you to cut me a little slack Where were you when the world turned black?
One of these days I'm gonna take that ride Though there may be nothing on the other side I'm too old for changing, my true blues have all been tried One of these days I'm gonna take that ride
You always were the one Gave me my place out in the sun Every race that's lost or won It was thy will be done
Don't you believe it's time to let me go? The clock is winding down and I'm moving slow I could keep on dancing but it's just for show Don't you believe it's time to let me go?
One of these days I'm gonna take that ride Whatever's waiting on the other side Had a little glory and I still got my pride One of these days I'm gonna take that ride One of these days I'm gonna take that ride Oh, don't you believe it's time to take that ride Take that ride Take that ride Take that ride
I'll never swim Ker River again. It was there that I met her. It was there that I lost my best friend. And now I live in the mountains. I drifted up here with the wind. And I may drown in still water, But I'll never swim Kern River again.
I grew up in an oil town, But my gusher never came in. And the river was a boundary Where my darlin' and I use to swim.
One night in the moonlight The swiftness swept her live away. And now I live on Lake Shasta and Lake Shasta is where I will stay.
There's the South San Joaquin, Where the seeds of the dust bowl are found. And there's a place called Mount Whitney From where the mighty Kern River comes down.
Well, it's not deep nor wide, But it's a mean piece of water my friend. And I may cross on the highway, But I'll never swim Kern River again.
I'll never swim Kern River again. It was there I first met her. It was there that I lost my best friend. And now I live in the mountains. I drifted up here with the wind. And I may drown in still water, But I'll never swim Kern River again.
I'll never swim Kern River again. It was there I first met her. It was there that I lost my best friend. And now I live in the mountains. I drifted up here with the wind. And I may cross on the highway, But I'll never swim Kern River again.
Oh my darling, I miss you so. How I loved you, you'll never know. Though it's time for me to let you go. Oh my darling, I'll miss you so.
Can't believe you're really gone for good. I still hold on to places you once stood. I should move on, but I never could, Really believe you're gone for good.
Oh my friend, what could I do? I just came home to bury you. The road is long, the road is rough. Your in my heart, that's not close enough.
All those years, disappear All my tears, are not enough, not enough. How can it be the ties that bind, Cut down deep and are so unkind? When we lose them we will never find, Anything stronger than the ties that bind.
I still have your memory. One or two pictures of you and me. Life is long and life is tough, But when you love someone, Life is not long enough.