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The Cold Susquehanna

by Anne Hills

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about

I began writing this song as an American version of the Two Sisters ballad ("Oh, the wind and the rain") bringing it to my home state of Pennsylvania. Very quickly I felt the two sisters pulling me toward a different ending to their story. After they had finished with me, I sent the lyrics to Bill, my collaborator over in the U.K., while she was working on her latest recording "Wonderful Fairytale". She touched it up a bit, wrote a gorgeous melody, asked me how to pronounce "Susquehanna" and recorded her own version of it (www.brickwallmusic.com). Jay Ansill and I were toying with a tambura in his home studio and he added this, as well as several other instruments, to my version. I hope it's eerie enough for you.

lyrics

two sisters played by the river wide, river wide
oh the river running dark and deep
while a Johnny-boy he walked on the other side
oh, the cold Susquehanna flows

well, he gave one sister flowers bright, flowers bright
oh, the river running dark and deep
then rolled with other one through the loving night
oh, the cold Susquehanna flows

so, the sisters fought and they tumbled round, tumbled round
oh, the river running dark and deep
pushed their Johnny-boy all into the river brown
oh, the cold Susquehanna flows

arm and arm they skipped on the river bank, river bank
oh, the river running dark and deep
watched him as he rose,cried out and his body sank
oh, the cold Susquehanna flows

and two sisters laughed as they ran away, ran away
oh, the river running dark and deep
neither shed a tear nor thought of it any day
oh, the cold Susquehanna rolls

and poor Johnny-boy floated long and far, long and far
oh, the river running dark and deep
'til his bones were as white, white as the whitest star
oh, the cold Susquehanna flows

and his long hair shone like silken thread, silken thread
oh, the river running dark and deep
drifted and it dragged and caught in the river bed
oh, the cold Susquehanna flows

but the fish carried him to the rocky shore, rocky shore
oh, the river running dark and deep
then they swam away, they knew they could do no more
oh, the cold Susquehanna flows

and his skull and his hair like a violin, violin
oh, the river running dark and deep
played a little song each time the wind blew in
oh, the cold Susquehanna flows

and the words of the song sounded like this, like this
oh, the river running dark and deep
water may be thick but blood it thicker is
oh, the cold Susquehanna flows

credits

released December 8, 2019
w&m Anne Hills and Bill (Belinda) Jones
Voice & Guitar: Anne Hills
Everything Else: Jay Ansill
Recorded by Jay Ansill @ Cheesy Road Studios
Painting from Arthur Rackham

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about

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Anne Hills Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Anne Hills is a well-loved voice in the contemporary folk music scene. She has a catalogue that encompasses well-over 20 CDs and has toured the United States, Canada and the U.K. Her unique solo and collaborative recording projects are a testament to her creativity, and her voice and songs have inspired audiences around the world. ... more

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