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Vespers: American Tune (emphasis added)

On this day in 1620, the Mayflower set sail for Virginia from Plymouth, England with 102 passengers onboard. The Hammock Papers

Many’s the time I’ve been mistaken
And many times confused
Yes, and I’ve often felt forsaken
And certainly misused
Oh, but I’m alright, I’m alright
I’m just weary to my bones
Still, you don’t expect to be bright and bon vivant
So far away from home, so far away from home

And I don’t know a soul who’s not been battered
I don’t have a friend who feels at ease
I don’t know a dream that’s not been shattered
Or driven to its knees
But it’s alright, it’s alright
For we lived so well so long
Still, when I think of the
Road we’re traveling on
I wonder what’s gone wrong
I can’t help it, I wonder what has gone wrong

And I dreamed I was dying
I dreamed that my soul rose unexpectedly
And looking back down at me
Smiled reassuringly
And I dreamed I was flying
And high up above my eyes could clearly see
The Statue of Liberty
Sailing away to sea
And I dreamed I was flying

We come on the ship they call The Mayflower
We come on the ship that sailed the moon
We come in the age’s most uncertain hours
And sing an American tune

Oh, and it’s alright, it’s alright, it’s alright
You can’t be forever blessed
Still, tomorrow’s going to be another working day
And I’m trying to get some rest
That’s all I’m trying to get some rest

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • creeper September 17, 2022, 11:01 AM

    Thank you for this. It strikes a chord now it never has before.

  • Open Channel D September 17, 2022, 5:40 PM

    Respect to Mr. Toussaint, but the honor goes to Art Garfunkel for the best rendition (available) of this song. I believe a guy named Simon sang backup.

  • Rob De Witt September 18, 2022, 8:47 AM

    All respect to Paul Simon, but investigate the original re-harmonizations of this tune (attributed to Hans Leo Hassler) by J.S. Bach – in every Protestant hymnal as O Sacred Head Now Wounded.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_OBbjAfVrI

    In the St. Matthew passion the tune appears in fresh harmonizations 5 times. Simon does it honor.

  • anonymous September 18, 2022, 5:14 PM

    There was a ” fly-in movie theater ” in West Texas ” somewhere around Lubbock up until about 1965. Yep, just get in your little Piper or Cessna and fly in to see the movies. This was very popular because even up until 1982 the distances between Midland and Big Spring and all the other little towns connected to the oil fields had nothing but oil! If you wanted a night out you flew your little plane over to Lubbock for a movie–no bars in those days, but you could get dinner out and probably something to drink with it–blue county.

  • anonymous September 18, 2022, 7:02 PM

    Sorry–posted on the wrong page!!