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Not band performances here; rather compositions.
Song Info
Genre
Charts
Peak #158
Peak in subgenre #53
Author
M. G. Jacobs (mostly based on Civil War era music)
Rights
2009
Uploaded
September 24, 2009
Track Files
MP3
MP3 9.7 MB • 128 kbps • 10:37
Story behind the song
Weariness is a continuation of VI, Encounters, in that it is explicitly foreshadowed there, when Ned refers to a lone voice starting up a song and both camps joining in (even as cannon are being positioned for what will amount to the slaughter of the rebel band in the morning), and again at the end, after the skirmish and the unit marches on, when he sees Nelly walking beside him as they climb a mountain pass.
Lyrics
THE SEARCH FOR NELLY GRAY
SECTION VII, Weariness
Tenor, Ned: Nel- ly, don't walk so near the edge!
Soprano, Nelly: Gaze at the scene- e- ry. And don't----talk---with your mouth
Ned: You're not here---- are you? I see you clear,
as if you came from the fields at end of day.
Nelly: You see me as I was, though I toil in Geor- gia still as when we were young.
Ned: Nell, we're free!
Chorus: Hell, we're free!
Nelly: Don't move your lips, Ned.
Ned: Don't you know you're free?
Nelly: Free- dom does- n't e- man- ci- pate you from the need to------eat.
Ned: Are----you in Geor- gia?
Nelly: I am where I am---and may- be I am no where. There's been so much---death.
Ned: No-- Nell!
Nelly: Like this morn- ing; you---took such fierce-----joy.
Ned: They---were the en- em- y and this is war.
Nelly: Those poor farm- ers from the ridg- es, Ned-- They have fam'- lies.
Ned: I was bought at nine---------
Nelly: Some had wives and child- ren wait- ing.
Ned: They at- tacked us with- out warn- ing.
Nelly: And------ some of them had sweet hearts, now a- lone for- ev- er more.
Ned: Just as we are Nel- ly.
Nelly: Sweet hearts Ned.
Ned: What would you have had me do---- O- pen up my coat as tar- get for a bay- o- net?
Run a- way and hide?
Nelly: Sweet hearts Ned---------------------
I'd have had you be my dar- ling who re- mem- bered
a love of mus- ic in the-----moon---light.
Ned: I was not my- self. It was a wild--- mus- ic that I felt, not thought,
for I've crossed once a- gain------- to the old Ken- tuc- ky shore,
crossed by right, crossed by right
and not by stealth, was free to come and------ go
as an- y free man ought.
Yes---I've seen kil- ling and---been en- slaved by its mad- ness,
but from years--- of---re---mem- ber- ing---- you, my la----- dy.
where my on- ly com- man- dant----was a ruth- less sad-------ness,
since with- out the know- ing of----Ned---- Sel---- by,
ob- liv- ious of the love that bound us---- each---- to the o- ther,
they---took you to... to... from our old Ken- tuck- y home a- way.
There we nev- er thought that we would not---live and love for ev- er,
a be- lief de- stroyed in just one busi- ness day--------
Oh, how bles- sed when this cruel--- fight- ing's past,
and I can go and seek for you at last.
Nelly: Ned, last night your camps----joined in song, of more than they could----bear.
The end will come soon Ned.
Ned: Then she was gone---
Words-----hung in emp- ty air
TENTING TONIGHT
Tenor: We're tent- ing to- night on the old camp ground.
Give us a song to cheer our wea- ry hearts,
a song of home and friends we loved so dear.
Chorus: Tent- ing to- night, tent- ing to- night,
tent- ing on the old camp ground.
Tenor/Chorus: We've been tent- ing to- night on the old camp ground,
think- ing of days gone by,
of the loved ones at home who gave us the hand,
and the tear that said 'Good- bye.'
Mens Chorus: Tent- ing to- night, tent- ing to- night, tent- ing on the old camp ground.
Womens Chorus: tent- ing on the old camp ground.
Bass: We are tired of--- war on the old camp ground;
man- y are dead and gone
of the brave and---- true who left their homes;
o- thers been wound- ed long.
Tenor: We've been fight- ing to--- day on the old camp ground,
man- y are ly- ing near;
Bass: Some are---- dead and---- some are dy- ing,
Womens Ch: Some are---- dead and---- some are dy- ing,
Tenor: o- thers are in tears.
Mens Ch: o- thers are in tears.
Tenor: Man- y are th
