Coming from the Mountains

 

Written by John Stewart

 

This is the first song on the first album John recorded with the Trio, "Close Up", released in October 1961.  This firmly set aside any fears that the "new guy" would not be able to continue the tradition.  The “Close Up” album earned the Trio a 1961 Grammy nomination for Best Performance by a Vocal Group. And ‘Coming From The Mountains’, an almost personalized travel commentary by the Trio, was released as the Nick, Bob, John Trio's first single. 

We hope you'll “return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear” and play along with some of the finest songs the Trio ever recorded. 

‘Coming from the Mountains’ is on The Kingston Trio album “Close Up”, Capitol, 1961, and on the box set “The Stewart Years”, Bear Family Records, 2000.

 

 

C/G

E-------------------

B---1---------------

G-------------------

D--------2----------

A-------------------

E--------------3----

 

Capo 2nd fret

 

Intro notes on high strings

f-e-d-b   f-e-d-b   f-e-d-b

f-e-d-b   f-e-d-b

 

(G) (C/G) (G) (C/G) (G) (C/G) (G) (C/G)

(G)Oh(C/G)(G)(C/G)hh(G)(C/G)hh(G)(C/G)h

 

We're (G)comin' (C/G)from the (G)mountains, (C/G)

(G) Crossin' (C/G)o'er the (G)plains, (C/G)

It's (G)off to Cali(Em)fornia, then (A7)back again to (D7)Maine,

Singin' a (G)song that (C/G)you all (G)know, (C/G)

And (G)let your (C/G)voices (G)go,

We'll sing it out, my (Em)brothers, wher(Am)ever (D)we may (G)go.

(C/G) (G) (C/G) (G) (C/G) (G)

 

We (D)travel here, we travel there, we (G)travel (C/G)every(G)where,

We (D)go by air, we go by rail,

(Em)(cut off and hold) Anyplace they pay our scale.

(C)Now repeat the chorus, here we (D)go . . . (D7)

 

We're (G)comin' (C/G)from the (G)mountains, (C/G)

(G) Crossin' (C/G)o'er the (G)plains, (C/G)

It's (G)off to Cali(Em)fornia, then (A7)back again to (D7)Maine,

Singin' a (G)song that (C/G)you all (G)know, (C/G)

And (G)let your (C/G)voices (G)go,

We'll sing it out, my (Em)brothers, wher(Am)ever (D)we may (G)go.

(C/G) (G) (C/G) (G) (C/G) (G)

 

The (D)folk group and a banjo, be(G)cause it's (C/G)really (G)in.

I'll (D)let you hear my banjo ring

(Em)(cut off and hold)When I learn to play the thing.

(C)Now repeat the chorus, here we (D)go . . .(D7)

 

We're (G)comin' (C/G)from the (G)mountains, (C/G)

(G) Crossin' (C/G)o'er the (G)plains, (C/G)

It's (G)off to Cali(Em)fornia, then (A7)back again to (D7)Maine,

Singin' a (G)song that (C/G)you all (G)know, (C/G)

And (G)let your (C/G)voices (G)go,

We'll sing it out, my (Em)brothers, wher(Am)ever (D)we may (G)go.

(C/G) (G) (C/G) (G) (C/G) (G)

 

The (D)boys with Davy Crockett who (G)died at the (C/G)Ala(G)mo,

We (D)heard them say when they attacked,

"I (Em)(cut off and hold)knew this room would kill the act."

(C)Now repeat the chorus, here we (D)go . . . (D7)

 

(softer)

We're (G)comin' (C/G)from the (G)mountains, (C/G)

(G) Crossin' (C/G)o'er the (G)plains, (C/G)

It's (G)off to Cali(Em)fornia, then (A7)back again to (D7)Maine,

Singin' a (G)song that (C/G)you all (G)know, (C/G)

And (G)let your (C/G)voices (G)go,

We'll sing it out, my (Em)brothers, wher(Am)ever (D)we may (G)go.

 

(back to volume)

Comin' (C/G)from the (G)mountains, (C/G)

(G) Crossin' (C/G)o'er the (G)plains, (C/G)

It's (G)off to Cali(Em)fornia, then (A7)back again to (D7)Maine,

Singin' a (G)song that (C/G)you all (G)know, (C/G)

And (G)let your (C/G)voices (G)go,

We'll sing it out, my (Em)brothers, wher(Am)ever (D)we may (G)go. (C/G) (G)

 

© John Stewart, All Rights Reserved

 

Charlie Woodward, janhauenstein@gmx.de & Art Faller

 

June 2005