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O DEATH: from the Georgia Sea Islands

from NOSEGAY OF OUGHTS by Tom Ross

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I first heard this from Bessie Jones, in the Georgia Sea Islands recording. Whew!

It's also featured in the movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", with Ralph Stanley.

The words are chilling.

lyrics

Chorus:

O Death
o Death in the mornin'
o Death
won't you spare me over for another year?

Death walked up to the sinner's gate
believe you have waited just a little too late
fever's now runnin' a hundred and two
narrow chance of your ever pullin' through

(Chorus)

What is this I see?
cold icy hands all over me
said, I am Death, no one can excel
I open the door to heaven and hell

(Chorus)

Now Death, consider my age
and do not take me in this stage
all my wealth is at your command
if you just remove your cold icy hand

(Chorus)

I'll fix your feet so you cannot walk
fix your tongue so you cannot talk
close your eyes and you cannot see
and you must come and go with me

(Chorus)

Mother standin' by the bed
with an achin' heart and a hung-down head
doctor looked around very sad
it's the worst old case I ever had

(Chorus)

Mother, I got feet, but I can't walk
I got a tongue but I can't talk
I got eyes but I cannot see
nothing but Death got the shackles on me

(Chorus)

credits

from NOSEGAY OF OUGHTS, track released March 8, 2015
Traditional.
Vocals by Deedee Huntington.

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Tom Ross image

Tom Ross Colorado Springs, Colorado

Music, art, poetry spoken here!

As E Dickinson says:

Nature is what we know
but have no art to say
so impotent our wisdom is
to her simplicity

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