East Virginia

 

Traditional

 

East Virginia, you say?  A Stewart song?  Buffy sings it on “John Stewart and Buffy Ford Live at the Turf Inn, Scotland”, Folk Era, 1996 (recorded 1994, I think). 

Any song on a John Stewart album qualifies as a Weekend Song, we say.  This song is as old as the hills (okay, baby hills) and has countless relatives – ‘Silver Dagger’ and ‘Wayfaring Pilgrim’, to name but two.  Two chords only.  You wouldn´t notice when you listen.  Fine melody - and easy to play (unless you want to add the lightning-fast bass run)!

 

Capo 3rd

(Am)
He was born in East Virginia,
North Caro(G)lina, he did (Am)roam,
And there he met a fair young maiden,
Her name and (G)age, he did not (Am)know.

Her hair it was, a soft brown color,
Her lips they (G)were, a ruby (Am)red,
And on her breast, well she wore white linen,
And there he (G)longed to lay his (Am)head.

I'd rather be in some dark hovel
Where the (G)sun refused to (Am)shine,
Than to see him with another
And to (G)know that he won't be (Am)mine.

So I'm going down where we'd go wander,
Down where the (G)chase, it meets the (Am)sea,
But now his heart is with another,
And he no (G)longer dreams of (Am)me.

He was born in East Virginia...

© John Stewart, All Rights Reserved

 

Charlie Woodward, janhauenstein@gmx.de & Art Faller

 

August 2004