We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Under the Big Oak Tree

by Under the Big Oak Tree

/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $10 USD  or more

     

1.
Where the blacktop ends And the road unwinds And the air gets hotter and thicker than the summertime Where the babbling brook Meets the meadow fare And the songs of the crickets and the sparrows all fill the air Won’t you take me down Where the green grass grows Way up on the hill there’s a spot that nobody knows And when I die Won’t you bury me Across the white valley, underneath the big oak tree Where the dew settles down On the cypress grove And the honeybee dances with the flowers in the valley below And the dusky moss Grows on the old stone well And the frog sits by the water and sings until he drinks his fill Won’t you take me down Where the green grass grows Way up on the hill there’s a spot that nobody knows And when I die Won’t you bury me Across the white valley, underneath the big oak tree Well they worked this land ‘Til their hands ran red Carrying the weight of the day with them when they came back home to rest But now the creeks run dry And the highways roll And the crickets and the songbirds don’t come around anymore But when the air gets clear On a cool spring night You can still hear the wildcat prowling in the pale moonlight Or when the sky gets true Like a robin’s egg And the cool breeze whispers softly in rhythm right to your head Won’t you take me down Where the green grass grows Way up on the hill there’s a spot that nobody knows And when I die Won’t you bury me Across the white valley, underneath the big oak tree So let the music play Let the river run free Buryin’ my troubles underneath the big oak tree
2.
Little Ghost 03:04
I have a little ghost He bangs around all night He don’t mean no harm He’s been here all my life Go away little ghost Don’t bother me no more I swear that I Will listen to your song tomorrow Left him on the church doorstep He followed me back home He trailed me to Chicago Where I came to be alone The gypsy on North Avenue She tried to set him free If he flew away How lonely I would be
3.
Farmer's Son 02:47
I was born a farmer’s son, never complained about where I was from Learned how to work till the job was done, I’ll always be a farmer’s son I knew it all at twenty one, had me a plan to leave and run This farmer’s life man I was done, thought I could change a farmer’s son Bridge: Them dusty fields, they gave me grit, every ten years the floods would hit Though boom and bust we learned to live, and through it all I learned to give Now I know where I’ll end up, back on the land that I love The fate of my boys is all but done, they’ll always be a farmer’s son They’ll always be a farmer’s son, they’ll always be a farmer’s son
4.
Will you go with me, sweet baby? Oh darling, will you go with me? Through the valley depths of shade Through night’s dark obscurity Where the wind has lost its way Where the nighttime meets the day And where there is no light to see Sweet baby will you go with me? Down the darkened road of night Past the cars’ and trucks’ high-beam light Into stardust, decay Past the devil’s tail along the way Where the smell of gasoline Meets the purifying clean And no one ever shall cross Where nothing’s won and nothing’s lost Through the blinding light of the day Where the horns blow out from the bay Where the clouds part the sun Where the angels fear to run In the pools of time long gone Where the siren sings her song And there’s no one left to hear Will you go with me my dear? Will you go with me, sweet baby? Oh darling, will you go with me? To where I can’t explain Off the road that has no name Where the shepherd leads his sheep Where the dark and light meet Where the river runs into the sea Oh darling, will you go with me?
5.
Lullaby 02:40
As we walk by the water Running from the shadows Blinded by the footprints in the sand And the waves come a’callin And swallow up the orphans And sweep them out to far and distant lands There is no one Who could take me away from you As we sit by the fire Our songs catch the flame And burn in the ashes Like blue eyes in the rain And we curse at the counter With our hands on the bible As silent storm of grievance breaks in tune There is no one Who could take me away from you There is no way I would let that happen As we walk by the water Chasing no tomorrows Running from the razor That cleanses pain and sorrow And blindly go a’whistlin Past graveyards and past counties Til all the time gets swallowed once again There is no one Who could take me away from you
6.
Missouri 03:15
Underneath the bells of May We put our cares away And rambled out looking for the sun And we laid in the sands Clovers in our hands And the water rushed under and over I will sit I will sway ‘Neath the hills of Nodaway Glory, hallelujah If there ever was a time She faded from my mind It’s gone with the wide, wide Missouri And the wheels of industry Rolled from Tennessee Implanted on the river’s southern shore And with blood, bricks, and mortar They led the hogs to slaughter And the city’s sons and daughters were provided for I will sit I will sway ‘Neath the hills of Nodaway Glory, hallelujah If there ever was a time She faded from my mind It’s gone with the wide, wide Missouri From the finest quarry stones They built their sterling homes High in the bluffs north of town But the iron gears of fate Will pause at no one’s gate When the winds from Dakota came raining down I will sit I will sway ‘Neath the hills of Nodaway Glory, hallelujah If there ever was a time She faded from my mind It’s gone with the wide, wide Missouri
7.
My heart’s on fire Its burning white I heard you whisper to me last night I traced your footsteps through the morning dew My heart’s on fire It’s burning blue My heart’s on fire At the break of day Through the bramble and briar And the crooked maze I never wonder which way to go I watch the light It lets me know There was a time when our love was young We set out early in the sun We found the waterfall Laid by a stream Was it real or just a dream? I rowed the oceans I damned the creeks I read your books I learned to speak I climbed a mountain to scream your name My heart’s on fire It keeps the flame My heart’s on fire from dusk til dawn I’ll keep a’walkin this road I’m on I’ll never waver I’ll never know My heart’s on fire It’s burning slow
8.
Bring me your tired and your troubled eyes Show me the hidden faces twisted with frustration Bring me your wretched heart I’ll raise a cool hand and lay it on your brow Give me everything tangled and torn And I will make a song of it Enough to make you weep And from your tears will spring a field of blooming desert flowers If it lasts a year of midnights We will take the time to rest our weary souls And if the fires turn the forests black Then I will help you rake the ashes to grow a new garden Give me everything tattered and bruised And I will make a song of it Enough to make you weep And from your tears will spring a field of blooming desert flowers Where life’s decayed we will plant our seeds Where earth is bitter we will till until its sweet Where no water runs we’ll dig And this is how we will grow the world green again Give me everybody tangled and torn And I will sing a song with them Enough to make the generations weep And from the tears will spring a field of desert flowers
9.
The Dogwoods are blooming. In the hills north of town Deep in a holler, my still can be found Chorus The water runs clean, from the spring where it comes Soon we’ll be drinking the black mountain rum The creek sure looks purdy, when the spring rains come The blue birds are singing, in the cool morning sun Chorus Old Mr. Kinnley, I said he was the one He showed me the way, to the black mountain rum Chorus
10.
YOUNGER: O my dear it’s such a fine mess What will be done, what will be done? I love two and both I have kissed What will be done my dear? One is round as a wagon wheel What will be done, what will be done? One is skinnier than a sour apple peal What will be done my dear? O my dear it’s such a fine mess What will be done, what will be done? I love two and both I have kissed What will be done my dear? One’s more guilded than a gold man’s locket What will be done, what will be done? One is poorer than a poet’s pocket What will be done my dear? OLDER: Take your tome don’t fall too soon What will be done, what will be done? Never sow your seeds neath the wax of the moon What will be done my dear? TOGETHER: O my dear it’s such a fine mess What will be done, what will be done? I/you love two and both I/you have kissed What will be done my dear? OLDER: Look for a sign by the water’s edge What will be done, what will be done? Steal a branch off the heathered hedge What will be done my dear? YOUNGER: O my dear it’s such a fine mess What will be done, what will be done? There’s a third one I must confess OLDER: O what will be done my dear? YOUNGER: He’s not too lean and he’s not too round What will be done, what will be done? He’s not so poor but he’s not so proud What will be done my dear? TOGETHER: O my dear it’s such a fine mess What will be done, what will be done? There are three, but one I/you love best What will be done my dear? What will be done my dear?

credits

released August 5, 2014

“Farmer’s Son” and “Black Mountain Rum” by Sean Cleary.
All other songs by Simon Fink.
"Will You Go with Me?" contains words from "An Invite, to Eternity" by John Clare.

Musicians:
Kristin Hamilton (vocals, guitar)
Simon Fink (fiddle, mandolin, banjo, autoharp, vocals)
Doug Ward (bass, vocals)
Sean Cleary (Dobro & National guitars, vocals)

Recorded at Westend Studio by Justin Mantooth
Mastered by Eureka Mastering

Album Art/Design: Box Cardinal Collective
Photography: Goode Food Delivered

Special thanks to: Our Kickstarter supporters!
Also: Rocky Cathcart, Dixon Leavers, Joey & Nicole Kruger, Leon Fink & Susan Levine

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Under the Big Oak Tree St. Joseph, Missouri

Under the Big Oak Tree’s blend of vintage folk, acoustic country, & traditional bluegrass has been described as “warm” and “picturesque” with “flawless harmonies.”

The band’s 2014 debut recording stood out as “one of the most lush, beautiful records to come out of the local scene,” and made multiple year-end best lists. The group’s second album, Local Honey, will be released on MudStomp Records.
... more

contact / help

Contact Under the Big Oak Tree

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Under the Big Oak Tree, you may also like: