The Key To Life
Id love to hear my daddy play once again
All the songs that he taught me when I was a kid
John henry, ol shep and faded love
I fall to pieces and on the wings of a dove
Just a few chords on the banjo that was all he knew
But in the eyes of a child, man his fingers flew
I practiced and I practiced til I got it right
Packed up everything and just took off one night
I made it from the beer joints to the opry stage
He said the only difference is what youre gettin paid
He didnt care that everybody knew my name
He said its all for nothin if you dont stay the same
But when he died the preacher cried and said hes the lucky one
Hes walkin hand in hand in hand with gods only son
My faith and common sense tell me the preachers right
But Id love to hear the banjo ring for me tonight
And I will honor my father with these words I write down
As long as I remember him hell always be around
And the pain of losin him cuts like a randall knife
I learned a few chords on the banjo as the key to life
And the pain of losin him cuts like a randall knife
I learned a few chords on the banjo as the key to life
song performed by by Vince Gill
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Related quotes
Applejack
He lived by the apple orchard in this little orchard shack
His real name was jackson taylor but I called him applejack
Now old applejack was loved by everyone he ever knew
Applejack picked apples but he picked the banjo too
Chorus:
Play a song for me applejack, applejack
Play a song for me and Ill sing
Play a song for me applejack, applejack
Play a song, let your banjo ring
Now Id go down to applejacks almost everyday
Wed sit and wed drink applejack that old applejack had made
Then hed take his banjo down then hed ask me if Id sing
And he would play the banjo and Id play my tambourine
Repeat chorus
Thats when I was just a kid and now that I am grown
All I have are memories, old applejack is gone
Oh but he left me his banjo and it always takes me back
And everytime I play it I still hear applejack
Repeat chorus 3 times
song performed by by Dolly Parton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I told my father I wanted to play the banjo, and so he saved the money and got ready to give me a banjo for my next birthday, and between that time and my birthday, I lost interest in the banjo and was playing guitar.
quote by Jackson Browne
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Grandad Played The Banjo
When my grandadpassed away-He left his old banjo to me-He played it unti hiis death-At the age of eighty-three-One of my fondest memories-Was hearing my grandad play-Old-time songs on his banjo-At the end of a summer day-Often on a balmy evening-Grandad brought his banjo to play-Daddy joined in with his guitar-And we passed the time away-We gathered on the back porch-Sometimes neighbors would stop by-Often there was some singing-Of pretty songs by our granny Di.
poem by Joy Thacker
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Do You Have It In Your Heart?
Verse1:
Baby all the songs
On the radio
Seems theyre playin too fast
Or theyre playin too slow
Nothin seems right
Since you walked out of my life
Loves a lost feeling
That cuts just like a knife in my heart
Darlin emptiness surrounds me now
And chains are all around me tonight
And Im bound to your love
But when push comes to shove
It seems just like an endless fight
So tell me...
Chorus:
Do you have it in your heart?
To give another try before we say goodbye to love
So that we can try again baby
Do you have it in your heart?
Am I losin my mind?
Maybe I was too blind to see
That our love could ever end
But baby if you have it in your heart
You will never part from me
Verse2:
Just the other night
At the movie show
I saw you from a distance
But you didnt know
Though time has passed,
I can still read your face
I could tell that girl,
She made you feel so out of place
Boy I know...
Though we said goodbye forever I know
We could never let our dreams die
cause Im looking around
I dont like what I found
Boy wont you look me in the eye
And tell me...
Chorus
Bridge:
Lets put our pride aside
And try to be strong
So we can put the pieces back
Where they belong
Baby Im losin sleep
And Ill be losin much more
If you dont walk back
Through my hearts door
song performed by by Debbie Gibson
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Oh, Susannah
Well I come from alabama with my banjo on my knee
And Im bound for louisiana, my own true love for to see
It did rain all night the day I left
The weather was bone dry
The sun was so hot I froze myself
Suzanne, dont you go on and cry
I said, oh, suzannah
Now, dont you cry for me
As I come from alabama with this banjo on my knee
Well I had myself a dream the other night
When everything was still
I dreamed that I saw my girl suzanne
She was coming around the hill
Now, the buckwheat cake was in her mouth
A tear was in her eye
I said, that I come from dixie land
Suzanne, dont you break down and cry
I said, oh, suzannah
Now, dont you cry for me
cause I come from alabama with my banjo on my knee
song performed by by James Taylor
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Randall
1, 2, 3, 4,
My name is Randall,
No I don't think I've met you before my friend,
I don't really know you,
But I heard your message on the answering machine,
Think it went something like this,
"Hello Randall,
Heard that you wrote a big hit,
And you're rich now,
Hope you remember the promise you made,
When I taught you everything that you know"
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come.
My name is rock star,
Tell me aren't you sick of me yet, my friends,
Cos I am the asshole,
Who thinks that his advise is all you need to survive,
Give me the sound of the crowd,
Give me the people who know all the lyrics,
Give me the face of the kid in the front,
When he realises what the song is about.
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Here they come.
Time to tell the truth now Randall,
Time to give it up now Randall,
Time to let us know now Randall,
Please, Randall please,
My name is Randall,
And that can be anything you want it to be,
Woo!
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Here they come,
Here they come,
Here they come,
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come,
Do run run, do run run,
Randall here they come.
song performed by by Wheatus
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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She's Out Of My Life
She's out of my life
She's out of my life
And I don't know whether to laugh or cry
I don't know whether to live or die
And it cuts like a knife
She's out of my life
It's out of my hands
It's out of my hands
To think for two years she was here
And I took her for granted I was so cavalier
Now the way that it stands
She's out of my hands
So I've learned that love's not possession
And I've learned that love won't wait
Now I've learned that love needs expression
But I learned too late
She's out of my life
She's out of my life
Damned indecision and cursed pride
Kept my love for her locked deep inside
And it cuts like a knife
She's out of my life
song performed by by Michael Jackson from Off The Wall
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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My Lonely Guitar
At a corner my guitar waves her hand
inviting me to pick her up, to strum her
strings, to find out if all her chords
blend in harmony with my fingers.
It is waving her hand before my eyes
as in those birthdays, meetings, teaching,
and parties where her strings were made
busy to play melodies to people around.
Tonight she waves her hand again
calling me to play with her our common
game of songs which others can sing along.
But I just cannot play with my guitar today.
For whatever reason let this lonely night
find out; let me sleep and let sweet melody
sleep with me in my dreams and
let my guitar help me find the right chords
for my lonely song.
poem by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Banjo
I heard a banjo pluck a tune
and thought to myself 'it's only noon.'
Shouldn't banjos be plucked at night
while girls are clogging in delight?
I turned and saw the banjo player
and could tell that he was just a purveyor
of musical beats for all the girls
with round hoop skirts and golden curls.
Dance away you southern belles
while the magnolia sweetly smells.
For when the banjo is all strummed out
the gents shall clap and loudly shout.
'More, more. It's only noon.
poem by Edwina Reizer
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Ring Ring The Banjo
De time is nebber dreary if de darkey nebber groans;
De ladies nebber weary wid de rattle of de bones:
Den come again Susanna by de gaslight ob de moon;
We'll tum de old Piano when de banjo's out ob tune.
Chorus:
Ring, ring de banjo! I like dat good old song,
Come again my true lub, Oh! wha you been so long?
poem by Stephen C. Foster
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Shes Out Of My Life
Written & composed by tom bahler.
1st verse
Shes out of my life
Shes out of my life
And I dont know whether to laugh or cry
I dont know whether to live or die
And it cuts like a knife
Shes out of my life
2nd verse
Its out of my hands
Its out of my hands
To think for two years she was here
And I took her for granted I was so cavalier
Now the way that it stands
Shes out of my hands
Bridge
So Ive learned that loves not possession
And Ive learned that love wont wait
Now Ive learned that love needs expression
But I learned too late
3rd verse
Shes out of my life
Shes out of my life
Damned indecision and cursed pride
Kept my love for her locked deep inside
And it cuts like a knife
Shes out of my life
song performed by by Michael Jackson
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Shes Out Of My Life
Ooh, shes out of my life
Shes out of my life
Ooh
I dont know whether to laugh or cry
I dont know whether to live or die
And it cuts like a knife
Shes out of my life
Ooh, shes out of my hands
Shes out of my hands
To think for two years that she was here
And I took it for granted
I was so cavalier
Now the way that it stands
Shes out of my hands
So Ive learned that love is no possession
And Ive learned that love wont wait
Now Ive learned love need expression
But Ive learned much too late
And shes out of my life
Out of my life
Damned indecision and cursed pride
Kept my love for her locked deep inside
And it cuts like a knife
Shes out of my life
Ooh, shes out of my life
Try yahoo! clubs
More...
The never-ending family reunion
Share photos, exchange news, keep in touch anytime anywhere.
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song performed by by 98 Degrees
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Gartloney Rats
The boys from the village were festering sore
For a day on the rant with some music and more
Theyd drink porter in mauras way over in fore
And never get drunk but stay sober
There was harry the banjo and dunne of the swan
With whose bone from the wing hed beat the bodhran
And the song that hed sing was of ganders and all
Hed never get drunk but stay sober
There was woods on the guitar and auld squeeze box too
Who came from a time before aeroplanes flew
Hed sit in a corner and mule quite a few
And hed never get drunk but stay sober
There was mahon the singer who knew all the songs
And never was known to put a foot wrong
Hed sing through the night till the break o the morn
And hed never get drunk but stay sober
Then harry the banjo now there was a man
A bottomless pit if ever there was one
More porter hed lower that there was in the land
And hed never get drunk but stay sober
Well the gartloney rats would play away
Theyd play for the pints and not for the pay
And the pints theyd go down in the usual way
And theyd never get drunk but stay sober
song performed by by Pogues
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Nashville Casualty & Life
In faded gabardine he used to stand
Down by the union station with that ol hat in his hand.
A banjo-pickin devil, a singin rag-time saint.
The young folks called him beautiful, the old folks called him quaint.
And the station-master pointed to the sign
And they busted him for loiterin when he was makin memories rhyme.
Out in the falling snow hed sing his song
To a world too cold to listen and too white to sing along.
Just a nashville casualty and life
Done left him without a dime.
Ever since the good lord took his wife
Youll find him strummin on the corner all the time.
And most of music city never the saw the world within the song
Of a nashville casualty and life goes on.
In the attic sets a dusty hat and cane
And the kids they found a banjo there all rusted from the rain.
I strummed a little rusty rag-time beat
And I sang for every soul out on the street.
I could almost see him standin in the rain
His black and blinded face reflectin all the pain
Of all the years and people passin by
And all the ringin memories that can make a banjo cry.
Just a nashville casualty and life
Its a riff thats hell to play.
You sings for your livin in the street
And you sleeps in the back of some caf
And most of music city never sees the world within the song
Of a nashville casualty and life goes on.
song performed by by Kinky Friedman, lyrics by Kinky Friedman
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The real beauty of it - key to my life was playing key chords on a banjo. For somebody else it may be a golf club that mom and dad put in their hands or a baseball or ballet lessons. Real gift to give to me and put it in writing.
quote by Vince Gill
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A Banjo Song
OH, dere's lots o' keer an' trouble
In dis world to swaller down;
An' ol' Sorrer's purty lively
In her way o' gittin' roun'.
Yet dere's times when I furgit 'em, —
Aches an' pains an' troubles all, —
An' it's when I tek at ebenin'
My ol' banjo f'om de wall.
'Bout de time dat night is fallin'
An' my daily wu'k is done,
An' above de shady hilltops
I kin see de settin' sun;
When de quiet, restful shadders
Is beginnin' jes' to fall, —
Den I take de little banjo
F'om its place upon de wall.
Den my fam'ly gadders roun' me
In de fadin' o' de light,
Ez I strike de strings to try 'em
Ef dey all is tuned er-right.
An' it seems we're so nigh heaben
We kin hyeah de angels sing
When de music o' dat banjo
Sets my cabin all er-ring.
An' my wife an' all de othahs, —
Male an' female, small an' big, —
Even up to gray-haired granny,
Seem jes' boun' to do a jig;
'Twell I change de style o' music,
Change de movement an' de time,
An' de ringin' little banjo
Plays an ol' hea't-feelin' hime.
An' somehow my th'oat gits choky,
An' a lump keeps tryin' to rise
Lak it wan'ed to ketch de water
Dat was flowin' to my eyes;
An' I feel dat I could sorter
Knock de socks clean off o' sin
Ez I hyeah my po' ol' granny
Wif huh tremblin' voice jine in.
Den we all th'ow in our voices
Fu' to he'p de chune out too,
Lak a big camp-meetin' choiry
Tryin' to sing a mou'nah th'oo.
An' our th'oahts let out de music,
Sweet an' solemn, loud an' free,
'Twell de raftahs o' my cabin
Echo wif de melody.
Oh, de music o' de banjo,
Quick an' deb'lish, solemn, slow,
Is de greates' joy an' solace
Dat a weary slave kin know!
So jes' let me hyeah it ringin',
Dough de chune be po' an' rough,
It's a pleasure; an' de pleasures
O' dis life is few enough.
Now, de blessed little angels
Up in heaben, we are told,
Don't do nothin' all dere lifetime
'Ceptin' play on ha'ps o' gold.
Now I think heaben'd be mo' homelike
Ef we'd hyeah some music fall
F'om a real ol'-fashioned banjo,
Like dat one upon de wall.
poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Cuts Both Ways
It cuts both ways
Our love is like knife
That cuts both ways
Its driven deep into my heart each time
That I realize
How it cuts both ways
Cant be together
Cannot live apart
Were heading straight into a broken heart
But I cant stop
(bridge)
cause I feel too much to let you go
Im hurting you and its hard I know
To stay and fight for what weve got
Knowing itll never be good enough
cause you and I are dangerous
We want too much and life aint that way
Dont ask for more
Dont be a fool
Havent we already broken every rule
It cuts both ways, were in too deep for sorry alibis
Cant have regrets or even question why
We cant say goodbye
Because it cuts both ways
No more illusions of the love we make
No sacrifice would ever be too great
If you would just stay
(bridge)
Cuts both ways
Our love is like a knife that cuts both ways
Its drivin deep into my heart each time I see we livin the lie
And it cuts both ways
It cuts both ways, mmm
Cuts both ways
Cuts both ways
song performed by by Gloria Estefan
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Biscuit City
Id like to be in biscuit city
With my banjo in my hand
I dont need no long vacation
In some foreign land
Cause the sound of my own breathing
Has been turning to a sigh
I wish that I could make the time
To be in biscuit city by and by
Oh the water is of emerald
And the beach is white as snow
And everyones got money
And no place to go
In a land of milk and honey
It can really make you smile
And if I had a ticket
I would stay in biscuit city for a while
All the girls are in bikinis
All the boys are in the buff
With the baby in between and
That makes three of us
And the streets are all so quiet
And the walls are squeaky clean
I think you aint been nowhere til
The town of biscuit city you have seen
Id rather be in biscuit city
With my banjo in my hand
Than take a big vacation
In some foreign land
Cause the sound of my own breathing
Has been turning to a sigh
If it were not for misfortune
I would be in biscuit city by and by
If it were not for misfortune
I would stay in biscuit city til I die
song performed by by Gordon Lightfoot
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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On Top Of The World
Youre on top of the world
On top of the world and you cant
Get any higher-youre on top of the world
Youre on top of the world tonight
It wasnt easy- it was hard as hell
You didnt get luck in a wishin well
Never worked so hard- had so much pain
Wouldnt change for anything
Learned love from a movie screen
He was tough, she was wild at fifteen
Quit school and had no dreams
Wasnt going very far
Then he got religion and she got a god
Its on her back and its in his job
And it costs lots of money, honey- oh, no
Breakdown nearly every day
Shoulda known- couldnt get away
Got lucky with the girl next door
She was lonely and didnt care
She was young, she was dark, she was fair
Wrapped herself around you with her stare
Youd explode if she would touch you there
Touch you there- touch you there
Tonight, tonight-tonight-tonight
Youre on top of the world
On top of the world and you cant
Get any higher
Youre on top of the world
Youre on top of the world tonight
(can you hear me, can you see me) youre on top of the world tonight
(can you hear me, can you see me) youre on top of the world tonight
(can you hear me, can you see me) youre on top of the world tonight
(can you hear me, can you see me) youre on top of the world tonight
song performed by by Cheap Trick
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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New Orleans Solo
The swirling music stops within a moment
The banjo cuts through heavy scented air
Its high-tuned strings ring out into the darkness
High water and the flood are everywhere
The music cooled the flood of '27
Spirits rose on high from burying grounds
The levees once again lie breached and broken
Upon the deep resistance of this sound
She lacked the holy places for protection
No-one embraced her with a masterplan
A city stripped of all her antecedents
Concessionary purchase, sold again
Shadows perch on annual celebration
Jazz is heard, but playing on the screen
The smell of money dampens oleander
Homeless and poor left scattered by the sea
.
Free passage for all those with eyes averted
No Joan of Arc to lead a cry of rage
The tall oaks echo to the banjo music,
New Orleans solo, naked up on stage.
with thanks to B.D.
poem by Frank Bana
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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