HOME


  • BACK STORY | PREVIEW
  • ABOUT AUTHOR
  • WHERE TO BUY | REVIEWS
  • SIGNED BOOKS
  • BOOK CLUBS | LIBRARIES
  • MUSICAL PLAYLIST
  • FACEBOOK

THE MUSIC



Five things on this page.


1. How this music is connected to my novel.


2. Links to the 11 songs.


3. The lyrics.


4. The songwriters.


5. The artists.




ABOUT THIS MUSIC


Along the Red Dirt Road was inspired by an assorted lot of people, places and circumstances that I've encountered (or imagined) since childhood. After my novel was well underway, I began to realize how beautifully certain music resonated with the narrative. To me, the story made the music fuller, more meaningful than ever, and vice versa. Could it be that the people, places and circumstances I was writing about were touched by such music? I had no choice but to do more research and offer up a fitting selection of music.


For years, I have been a huge fan of Tim O'Brien and Kathy Mattea. More recently, I have come to love the work of First Aid Kit, Kacey Musgraves, The Henry Girls, Mumford & Sons, and The Tennessee Mafia Jug Band. Although Cowboy Jack Clements, Al Bowlly, and Ozzie Nelson are no longer alive, each contributes one remarkable song that happens to jibe perfectly with the characters, times, or story line of my tale. My book and I share a special bond with all eleven songs, and I hope you enjoy listening as much as I do.


Should you listen to my playlist BEFORE reading Along the Red Dirt Road, you may pick up a few juicy clues and find yourself humming as you read. If you listen AFTERWARD, I'm betting you'll gain a richer understanding of the story, the characters and each of the songs.


As with the story, this music speaks to timeless issues that apply similarly to men and women, young and old, and the lyrics are so artful that you may wish to read them through and take them to heart. All lyrics are shown toward the bottom of this page.


SUPPORTING MUSIC DURING CURRENT CRISIS: Due to the Corona virus situation, the world's music community is in bad way. With live performances cancelled and recording activities shut down, a lot of folks are suffering. Some of today's biggest names have the resources to survive and pay their bands, staff and vendors - but many do not. It is far worse for the more 'nitchy' performers and local groups that my family and friends enjoy so much. All of us can help by streaming their music (which generates royalties) and purchasing their music (even better).


The AUDIO links below make listening easy. If you like particular songs or artists, please give them LOTS of plays (that generates royalties) , or consider buying their recordings. The album covers are linked to places where you may purchase their songs and albums. If you click on the artist's name, you will be taken to their website where you may check out their other recordings and tour schedules. Of course you have favorites of your own, and now is a thoughtful time to play or purchase their music.


SEQUENTIAL PLAYING: This is a special treat, as the order of the playlist follows the flow of the story. If you encounter any difficulties accessing the complete playlist, just use the individual links further down this page. Thanks for reading and enjoy the music.


Peace and love,

Jane Yearout



MUSICAL LINKS



Free or paid account with one of the services below may be required.

HEARING PLAYLIST IN SEQUENCE IS REALLY NICE!



PLAYLIST - AMAZON MUSIC


PLAYLIST - SPOTIFY


PLAYLIST - YOUTUBE MUSIC


PLAYLIST - YOUTUBE VIDEO




LINKS TO INDIVIDUAL SONGS

Free or paid account with one of the services below may be required.


Links below to Pandora & YouTube Video

connect directly to song.



Emmylou ~ First Aid Kit

​

Amazon Music


Pandora


Spotify


YouTube Music


YouTube Video



Secest


Tennessee Mafia Jug Band (A) or John Hartford (B)


Amazon Music (B)


Pandora (A)


Spotify (A)


YouTube Music (A)


YouTube Video (A)



Somebody's Darling ~ Kathy Mattea


Amazon Music


Pandora


Spotify


YouTube Music


YouTube Video



Restless Spirit Wandering ~ Tim O'Brien


Amazon Music


Pandora


Spotify


YouTube Music


YouTube Video



Ghosts That We Knew ~ Mumford & Sons


Amazon Music


Pandora


Spotify


YouTube Music


YouTube Video



Sing My Sister Down ~ The Henry Girls


Amazon Music


Spotify


YouTube Music


YouTube Video



Little Annie ~ Tim O'Brien


Amazon Music


Pandora


Spotify


YouTube Music


YouTube Video



Beautiful Dreamer

Cowboy Jack Clement (A) or Robin Spielberg (B)


Amazon Music (B)


Pandora (A)


Spotify (A)


YouTube Music (A)


YouTube Video (A)



Did You Ever See a Dream Walking ~ Al Bowlly


Amazon Music


Pandora


Spotify


YouTube Music


YouTube Video



Dream a Little Dream of Me - Ozzie Nelson


Amazon Music


Pandora


YouTube Music


YouTube Video


​

Follow Your Arrow ~ Kacey Musgraves

​

Amazon Music


Pandora


Spotify


YouTube Music


YouTube Video





ALONG THE RED DIRT ROAD

scene at wall

__________________



SPECIAL LINKS

for each song in playlist.



ABOUT SONGWRITERS

(click name)


ABOUT ARTISTS

​(click name)


MORE ON ARTIST'S MUSIC

(click album cover)





TRACK ONE


SONGWRITERS/ARTISTS

FIRST AID KIT



EMMYLOU



THE LYRICS


Oh the bitter winds are coming in

And I'm already missing the summer Stockholm's cold but I've been told

I was born to endure this kind of weather

When it's you I find like a ghost in my mind

I am defeated and I gladly wear the crown


I'll be your Emmylou and I'll be your June

If you'll be my Gram and my Johnny too

No, I'm not asking much of you

Just sing little darling, sing with me


Now so much I know that things just don't grow If you don't bless them with your patience

And I've been there before, I held up the door

For every stranger with a promise


But I'm holding back,

that's the strength that I lack

Every morning keeps returning at my window


And it brings me to you

and I won't just pass through

But I'm not asking for a storm


I'll be your Emmylou and I'll be your June

If you'll be my Gram and my Johnny too

No, I'm not asking much of you

Just sing little darling, sing with me


And yes I might have lied to you

You wouldn't benefit from knowing of the truth

I was frightened but I held fast

I need you now at long last


I'll be your Emmylou and I'll be your June

If you'll be my Gram and my Johnny too

No, I'm not asking much of you

Just sing little darling, sing with me


I'll be your Emmylou and I'll be your June

If you'll be my Gram and my Johnny too

No, I'm not asking much of you

Just sing little darling, sing with me

Just sing little darling, sing with me



TRACK TWO


SONGWRITER UNKNOWN

​

ARTISTS

TENNESSEE MAFIA

JUG BAND

JOHN HARTFORD​



THE

SECESH

(Shiloh)


THE LYRICS


I put my napsack on my back

My rifle over my shoulder

I am going away to Shiloh

And there I'll be a soldier



TRACK THREE


SONGWRITERS

MARIE RAVENEL DE LACOSTE
JOHN HILL HEWITT

​
ARTIST
KATHY MATTEA



SOMEBODY'S

DARLING


THE LYRICS


Into the ward

of the clean white-washed halls,

Where the dead slept and the dying lay Wounded by bayonets, sabres and balls, Somebody's darling was borne one day.

Somebody's darling

so young and so brave,

Wearing still on his sweet yet pale face
Soon to be hid in the dust of the grave,
The lingering light of his boyhood's grace.

Somebody's darling, somebody's pride,
Who'll tell his Mother where her boy died?
Matted and damp are his tresses of gold, Kissing the snow of that fair young brow
Pale are the lips of most delicate mould, Somebody's darling is dying now.

Back from his beautiful

purple-veined brow,

Brush off the wandering waves of gold
Cross his white hands

on his broad bosom now,

Somebody's darling is still and cold.

Give him a kiss, but for somebody's sake, Murmur a prayer for him, soft and low,
One little curl from his golden mates take, Somebody's they were once, you know,
Somebody's warm hand

has oft rested there,

Was it a Mother's so soft and white?

Or have the lips of a sister, so fair,
Ever been bathed in their waves of light?
Somebody's watching and waiting for him, Yearning to hold him again to her breast
Yet there he lies

with his blue eyes so dim,
And purple, child-like lips half apart.

Tenderly bury the fair, unknown dead,
Pausing to drop on this grave a tear
Carve on the wooden slab over his head, Somebody's darling is slumbering here.



TRACK FOUR


SONGWRITER/ARTIST

TIM O'BRIEN



RESTLESS SPIRIT WANDERING


THE LYRICS


Restless spirit, wandering,

come on home again

Tell me about your days of old,

wander back again

You won't admit your life is taken,

to your death not yet awakened


Restless spirit wandering,

come on home again


Oglethorpe was around this place

some hundred fifty years

Since a Union bullet hit its mark,

and his teenaged heart it pierced

Years ago a young girl lived here,

she became his friend

But when their family moved away

their friendship had to end


And when we bought this house

the neighbors came and talked about him

Though we've not heard or seen a thing,

I hope he comes again


I'd like to ask him lots of things,

and hear the way he talks

Describing local battle scenes

on some slow morning walk


Restless spirit, wandering,

come on home again

Tell me about your days of old,

wander back again

Don't admit your life is taken,

to your death not yet awaken


Restless spirit wandering,

and come on home again


The room I write in used to be a two car garage

A nineteen fifties chrome and fin

and white wall tired montage

Years later it became a church,

and they moved an organ in

And these walls would shake with holy songs and sermons against sin


I like to think this place was made for

the kind of work I do

I'll try to be ready when

the spirit comes back through

I'll write it down and sort it out and

make it fairly rhyme

And marry it to the melody of highest flyin' kind


I want to try be to a friend to souls

that cannot rest

I would not blame their anger,

don't claim to know what's best

But souls are all connected

like the branches on a tree

And things they see beyond the grave

might help out you and me



Restless spirit, wandering,

come on home again

Tell me about your days of old,

wander back again

Tell me as you come and go,

things that people need to know


Restless Spirit, wandering,

come on home again

Don't admit your life is taken,

to your death not yet awaken


Restless spirit wandering,

come on home again



TRACK FIVE


SONGWRITERS/ARTISTS

MUMFORD & SONS



GHOSTS THAT

WE KNEW​



THE LYRICS


You saw my pain,

washed out in the rain

Broken glass,

saw the blood run from my veins


But you saw no fault

no cracks in my heart

And you knelt beside

my hope torn apart

But the ghosts that we knew

will flicker from you

And we'll live a long life



So give me hope in the darkness

that I will see the light

'Cause oh that gave me such a fright

But I will hold as long as you like

Just promise me we'll be alright


So lead me back

Turn south from that place

And close my eyes

from my recent disgrace

'Cause you know my call

We'll share my all

Now children come

and they will hear me roar


So give me hope in the darkness

that I will see the light

'Cause oh that gave me such a fright

But I will hold as long as you like

Just promise me we'll be alright


But hold me still

bury my heart on the cold

And hold me still

bury my heart on the cold


So give me hope in the darkness

that I will see the light

'Cause oh that gave me such a fright

But I will hold on as long as you like

Just promise me that we'll be alright


But the ghosts that we knew

made us blackened or blue

But we'll live a long life


And the ghosts that we knew

will flicker from view

And we'll live a long life



TRACK SIX


ARTISTS/SONGWRITERS

THE HENRY GIRLS



SING MY

SISTER DOWN​


THE LYRICS


Down, down we went down

Down, down, we went down

Down from the higher ground

Oh to sing my sister down


Oh my dear sister, what have you done? Everyone was watching as you walked out

Out in the midday sun

I can tell by your eyes that you're frightened

But I know you did what you had to do

When you picked up that axe handle

you were in charge

Of what was gonna happen to you


And we went…Down, down we went down Down, down, we went down

Down from the higher ground

Oh to sing my sister down


I wish I had more time to say goodbye

Glaring at the bonfire light

Singing songs for putting baby to sleep

And to soothe broken hearts at night

No coming unstuck from this one

You couldn't let that handle lie

We knew you'd be angry

once the glitter wore off

We knew that he had to die


Then we went. Down, down we went down Down, down, we went down

Down from the higher ground

Oh to sing my sister down



TRACK SEVEN


SONGWRITER

A.P. CARTER


ARTISTS​

TIM O'BRIEN

JAN FABRICIUS​



LITTLE ANNIE


(When Springtime Comes Again)



THE LYRICS


Once more, little Annie, I must leave you

We shall part at the end of the lane

But promise me, little Annie

You will wait for me till

springtime comes again


When the sun shines down on the mountain And the wild sheep are wandering all alone When the birds and the bees are a-humming Makes me think that

springtime won't be very long


When the springtime comes on the mountain And the wildflowers scattered o'er the plain

I shall watch for the leaves

to return to their trees

And I'll be waiting when

the springtime comes again


Now springtime is here, little Annie

I am on my way back to the lane

For you promised me, little Annie

You'd be waiting when

the springtime comes again


When the springtime comes on the mountain And the wildflowers scattered o'er the plain

I shall watch for the leaves

to return to their trees

And I'll be waiting when

the springtime comes again



TRACK EIGHT


SONGWRITER

STEPHEN FOSTER

​

ARTISTS


COWBOY JACK CLEMENT


ROBIN SPIELBERG




BEAUTIFUL

DREAMER


THE LYRICS


Beautiful dreamer,

Wake unto me

Starlight and dewdrops

Are awaiting thee

Sounds of the rude world

Heard in the day

Led by the moonlight

Have all passed away


Beautiful dreamer,

Queen of my song

List' while I woo thee

With soft melody

Gone are the cares of

Life's busy throng

Beautiful dreamer

Awake unto me

​

Beautiful dreamer,

Awake unto me

\



TRACK NINE


SONGWRITERS

HARRY REVEL

MACK GORDON


ARTIST

AL BOWLLY




DID YOU EVER SEE

A DREAM WALKING


THE LYRICS


Something very strange and mystic

happened to me

Something realistic and as weird as can be

Something that I feared,

somehow is now endeared to me

And what a funny feeling,

odd and yet so true

Did a thing like this ever happen to you?



Did you ever see a dream walking?

Well, I did

Did you ever hear a dream talking?

Well, I did

Did you ever have a dream thrill you with,

"Will you be mine?"

Oh, it's so grand and it's too, too divine



Did you ever see a dream dancing?

Well, I did

Did you a ever see a dream romancing?

Well, I did

Did you ever see heaven right in your arms, saying, "I love you, I do"

Well, the dream that was walking

and the dream that was talking

And the heaven in my arms was you



Did you ever see a dream walking?

Well, I did

Did you ever hear a dream talking?

Well, I did

Did you ever have a dream thrill you with,

"Will you be mine?"

Oh, it's so grand and it's too, too divine


Did you ever see a dream dancing?

Well, I did Did you a ever see

a dream romancing?

Well, I did

​

Did you ever see heaven right in your arms, saying, "I love you, I do"

Well, the dream that was walking

and the dream that was talking

And the heaven in my arms was you

​



TRACK TEN


SONGWRITERS

FABIAN ANDRE

WILBUR SCHWANT

GEORGE KAHN


ARTIST

OZZIE NELSON​



DREAM A LITTLE

DREAM OF ME


THE LYRICS


Stars shining bright above you

Night breezes seem to whisper I love you

Birds singing in the sycamore tree

Dream a little dream of me


Say night-ie night and kiss me

Just hold me tight

and tell me you'll miss me

While I'm alone and blue as can be

Dream a little dream of me


Stars fading but I linger on, dear

Still craving your kiss

I'm longing to linger till dawn, dear

Just saying this


Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you

Sweet dreams

that leave all worries behind you

But in your dreams whatever they be

Dream a little dream of me


Stars fading but I linger on, dear

Still craving your kiss

I'm longing to linger till dawn, dear

Just saying this


Sweet dreams

till sunbeams find you


Sweet dreams

that leave all worries far behind you

​

But in your dreams whatever they be

Dream a little dream of me



















TRACK ELEVEN


ARTIST/SONGWRITER

KACEY MUSGRAVES



FOLLOW YOUR

ARROW


THE LYRICS


If you save yourself for marriage,

you're a bore

If you don't save yourself for marriage,

you're a horrible person

If you won't have a drink,

then you're a prude

But they'll call you a drunk

as soon as you down the first one


If you can't lose the weight,

then you're just fat

But if you lose too much,

then you're on crack

You're damned if you do

and you're damned if you don't

So, you might as well just do

whatever you want


So, make lots of noise,

kiss lots of boys

Or kiss lots of girls

if that's somethin' you're into

When the straight and narrow

gets a little too straight

Roll up a joint, or don't


Just follow your arrow wherever it points

Yeah, follow your arrow wherever it points


If you don't go to church,

you'll go to Hell

If you're the first one on the front row,

you're a self-righteous son of a...

Can't win for losin',

you'll just disappoint 'em

Just 'cause you can't beat 'em

don't mean you should join 'em


So, make lots of noise,

kiss lots of boys

Or kiss lots of girls

if that's somethin' you're into

When the straight and narrow

gets a little too straight

Roll up a joint, or don't


Just follow your arrow wherever it points

Yeah, follow your arrow wherever it points


Say what you think,

love who you love

'Cause you just get so many

trips around the sun

Yeah, you only... Only live once


So, make lots of noise,

kiss lots of boys

Or kiss lots of girls

if that's what you're into

When the straight and narrow

gets a little too straight

Roll up a joint, I would


And follow your arrow wherever it points

Yeah, follow your arrow wherever it points



Text-to-voice audio is enabled on the E-Book version

of this book and may be played on a variety of devices.


back to home page